8 killed in house fire after explosion at EV charging point in Indore; govt orders probe

INDORE: Eight members of a family were killed when a fire broke out in a three-storey house after an explosion at an Electric Vehicle (EV) charging point outside the building in Indore early on Wednesday, officials said.

The deceased included two minor children and three women, they said.

Alarmed by the incident, the Madhya Pradesh government announced a detailed investigation into it by a committee of experts and the framing of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for EV charging.

The fire broke out in the house at Brajeshwari Annex Colony between 3.30 and 4.30 am, Assistant Commissioner of Police Kundan Mandloi told PTI.

A car was being charged outside the three-storey house. "There was an explosion at the charging point, and the fire in the car then engulfed the house," Police Commissioner Santosh Kumar Singh said.

The house doors were fitted with electronic locks, making it difficult for the police to break in, he said.

Cooking gas cylinders inside the house also exploded, further intensifying the blaze, Singh said.

"Three persons trapped inside the house were rescued during the fire," he said.

The bodies of eight persons killed in the fire were brought to a government hospital and the post-mortem was being conducted, Government Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College Dean Dr Arvind Ghanghoria said.

The deceased have been identified as Tanmay (6), Rashi Sethia (12), Simran (30), Tinu (35), Suman Sethia (60), Vijay Sethia (65), Chhotu Sethia (22) and Manoj (65), he said.

"Two persons who were rescued during the fire were also brought to the hospital. However, after receiving first aid, they expressed the desire to be treated at another hospital and were discharged," the official said.

State Urban Development and Housing Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, who visited the scene, said, "This tragic incident is alarming because the house caught fire while an EV was being charged. We have asked the police and administration to conduct a detailed investigation by a committee of experts to prevent a recurrence of this incident." Along with the investigation into the incident, an SOP for EV charging will also be prepared, the minister said.

"In light of the rising crude oil prices due to current geopolitical developments, there is a growing interest in electric vehicles. In such a situation, the fire that occurred during the charging of an EV serves as a caution for us," he said.

The minister also expressed concern over large buildings being constructed on small plots of land in the area, and the narrowing of the road for ambulances and other vehicles due to cars parked on both sides of the main road.

"I will discuss with office-bearers of the area's resident associations to resolve these problems," he added.