Mother and daughter die in shack fire

A tragic fire accident claimed the lives of a woman and her teenage daughter near Ponnamaravathi in Pudukkottai district after a blaze broke out in their house while cooking.
Meenakshi, 40, wife of Alagesan, a labourer in a brass workshop from Sivaprakasam Nagar, and her daughter Sankari, 13, died of severe burn injuries following the incident.
Sankari was a Class 8 student at the Government Girls’ Higher Secondary School near Pudupatti.
According to police, the incident occurred on Sunday evening when Meenakshi and Sankari were cooking on a kerosene stove at their rented house.
A sudden fire broke out on the roof, and fanned by strong winds and heat, it spread rapidly, engulfing the entire structure within minutes.
Neighbours rushed to their aid but were unable to go near the house due to the intensity of the flames. On receiving information, the Ponnamaravathi Fire and Rescue Services personnel rushed to the spot and brought the fire under
control.
Both Meenakshi and Sankari sustained around 70 per cent burn injuries and were initially admitted to the Government Hospital in Ponnamaravathi. They were later shifted to a private hospital for advanced treatment.
However, despite efforts, both succumbed to their injuries in the early hours of Monday.
Ponnamaravathi police have registered a case, and Inspector Padma is investigating. The incident has cast a pall of gloom over the locality.