A tragic fire triggered by the suspected explosion of an electric scooter battery claimed the life of a 65-year-old man in Murphy Town under the Halasuru police limits in the early hours of Tuesday.
The deceased has been identified as Lourd Nathan, an auto driver who had reportedly stopped working due to health issues. He was staying on the ground floor of a two-storey house in Murphy Town’s 1st Square area.
According to police, Nathan had plugged in an Okinawa electric scooter belonging to his elder son, L Frank Anthony, for charging before going to sleep on Monday night. Anthony, a cab driver, lives on the first floor along with his wife.
Explosion wakes family at midnight
Police said Nathan slept in a small room near the parked scooter after putting the vehicle on charge around 11 pm. Preliminary findings suggest that he switched off the charger after a few hours.
However, around 3 am, Anthony and his wife were jolted awake by a loud explosion from the ground floor. Moments later, flames engulfed the room where Nathan was sleeping.
Anthony rushed downstairs and broke open the door before pulling his father out of the burning room. Sadly, Nathan had already suffered severe burn injuries.
He was immediately shifted to Bowring Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
Probe underway into exact cause
The fire also damaged several household items, including furniture, a television, and plastic chairs.
Police suspect that the electric scooter battery may have overheated and exploded, though officials have not ruled out the possibility of a short circuit. Forensic experts and officials from the Electrical Inspectorate inspected the spot and are expected to submit detailed reports.
Halasuru police have registered a case of unnatural death and have launched a further investigation into the incident