PM condoles fire deaths, CM flags ‘safety concern’

Indore: Expressing deep sorrow over the loss of lives in a major fire in Indore, suspected to have been sparked by a short circuit during the charging of an EV hatchback, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the PM National Relief Fund for the next of kin of each of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured.In a post on his X handle, the PM extended his condolences to those who lost their loved ones and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured."Deeply pained by the loss of lives in a fire mishap in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000," read the post on the PM's official X handle.Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also expressed profound grief over the tragic loss of lives in the fire. Offering his condolences to the bereaved families, he described the incident as "extremely painful", as he prayed for the peace of the departed souls and the swift recovery of those injured.Citing the suspected cause of the blaze—a short-circuit during the charging of an electric vehicle (EV) — CM Yadav noted that the tragedy has brought a "new challenge" to the forefront when it comes to urban safety."The accident in Indore caused by electric car charging has presented us with a new safety concern," the CM posted on his official X handle, adding, "Given the gravity of the situation, I have directed officials to conduct a systematic and thorough investigation into the matter."He emphasized that while modern technology and features such as digital locks were becoming a necessity, they must be accompanied by heightened vigilance.The state government, it is learnt, is expected to use the findings of the Indore investigation to draft new safety guidelines for residential EV charging infrastructure across Madhya Pradesh.