Doctor escapes unhurt as car catches fire on Chennai's Outer Ring Road

CHENNAI: A doctor escaped unhurt when his car caught fire on the Vandalur-Minjur Outer Ring Road on Thursday morning.

The car caught fire near Thirumudivakkam when Dr Umesh Kumar, 37, of Perungalathur was on his way to work. Umesh Kumar, who works at a private medical college hospital near Sikkarayapuram, was driving his car as usual.

He noticed a smoke emanating from the front of the vehicle. Realising the danger, Umesh parked the car on the side of the road and got out of the vehicle. Within seconds, the car was engulfed in flames. He alerted the control room.

Before fire and rescue services personnel from Tambaram reached the spot and doused the flames, the car’s windows and batteries exploded, creating panic in the area. As a result, vehicles on the Outer Ring Road were halted, causing a brief traffic jam.

The Kunrathur police registered a case and were investigating the cause of the fire. Preliminary reports suggest that an electrical short circuit might have triggered the blaze.