4 die of asphyxiation in Chhapra after using charcoal heater

Patna: Four members of a family, including three minor children and an elderly woman, died due to asphyxiation after using an “angithi” (charcoal heater) inside a closed room in Saran’s Chhapra town late on Friday night. Three other family members are undergoing treatment at a hospital.

The incident occurred in Ambika Colony under Bhagwan Bazar police station area. The family members had been sleeping in a room with the “angithi” lit to keep warm amid the cold conditions. Carbon monoxide gas emitted by the charcoal heater accumulated inside the closed room, leading to suffocation.

The three children were maternal cousins, while the elderly woman was their maternal grandmother. The children were visiting their grandmother during the winter break.

The victims were identified as Tejas (3), Adhyay (4), seven-month-old Gudiya Kumari, and their grandmother Kamlawati Devi (70). Meanwhile, the children’s maternal uncle, their mother and another family member are in a critical condition due to suffocation. They were initially admitted to Chhapra Sadar Hospital and later referred to PMCH in Patna.

A family member of the deceased said, “Due to extreme cold, all family members were sleeping in the same room at night. An angithi was lit in the room for protection from cold.”

Bhagwan Bazar SHO Subhash Kumar said, “Kamlawati recently returned home after performing puja in Varanasi. She lived here with her son. Her husband had already passed away. During the winter holidays, both her daughters came to Chhapra to meet their mother. At the time of the incident, Kamlawati’s elder son was sleeping with his wife and children on the ground floor of the house. Meanwhile, on the first floor, Kamlawati was sleeping with her two daughters, one son and three grandchildren.”

One of the daughters is married in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, and her husband is a govt official. A few days ago, Kamlawati had gone to Varanasi, and after the puja, she returned to Chhapra along with her daughter and grandchildren.

“The ‘angithi’ kept burning throughout the night. It appears that carbon monoxide gas spread inside the room due to the angithi. Gradually, the oxygen level dropped and, as they were in deep sleep, no one could sense it. However, the exact cause of death will be ascertained after the post-mortem report,” the SHO added.