92-year-old woman, son die in apartment blaze

Rajkot: A 92-year-old woman and her 61-year-old son died of burn injuries and suffocation after a fire broke out in their fourth-floor residence at Manmandir Apartments on Palace Road late on Wednesday night. While a short circuit is widely suspected to have triggered the blaze, officials said the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team will conclusively determine the exact cause of the fire.The deceased were identified as Prabha Pujara and her son, Narendra.According to sources, Narendra's son, his wife, and their two children had gone out for a picnic within the city at the time of the incident. Meanwhile, Narendra's wife, Shilpa, had stepped out to meet a relative, Foram Chandarana. Neighbours noticed flames and thick smoke billowing from the flat and immediately alerted Shilpa over the phone. On rushing back, Shilpa, along with neighbours, attempted to unlock the main door using a key, but found it latched from inside. They eventually broke open the door and discovered the elderly mother and son lying unconscious inside the smoke-filled apartment.Both were immediately rushed to the civil hospital, where the on-duty doctor declared them brought dead. Family members later observed that the air conditioner and lights in the flat were still operational at the time of the incident."This is a four-storey residential building. Electronic appliances in the kitchen and hall of the affected flat were completely charred. We have registered a case of accidental death, and further investigation is underway," said B. V. Borisagar, inspector of A Division police station.The Pujara family was reportedly planning to shift to a new residence within the next month. Narendra's son is engaged in the handicrafts business. Police have collected viscera samples of the deceased as part of the investigation and are recording statements of relatives. CCTV footage from the building and surrounding areas is also being verified as investigators await the FSL report to ascertain the precise cause of the fire.