Toddler among 4 of family suffer burns in LPG leak

The police said that the cylinder did not blast and so the family escaped with injuries. Mariappan (30), a private firm employee staying on the first floor of a rented house on Reddy Street in Sriperumbudur, lives with his wife Anu Mahalakshmi (25), their 18-month-old child and Mahalakshmi’s father.

On Monday night, they went to bed without closing the gas cylinder properly and the gas had leaked and spread throughout the kitchen. On Tuesday morning, Mahalakshmi, with the baby in her hands, opened the kitchen door and tried to turn on the gas stove. Suddenly curtains, plastic chairs and a few items caught fire. Mahalakshmi and the baby also suffered burn injuries, on hearing their cries, Mariappan rescued them.

Meanwhile, neighbours rushed to the spot and doused the fire. The Sriperumbudur police, who visited the spot, admitted the injured to the Sriperumbudur Government Hospital.

The Police said that Mariappan, Mahalakshmi and her father suffered only minor injuries but the baby’s condition is critical.