Indore fire kills 8: Survivors say electric vehicle charging station was not the source of the fire

The businessman’s son said the car was not connected to a charging point when the fire broke out

Times News NetworkIndore: A survivor of a house fire that killed eight members of a large family on Thursday denied what he called a “false narrative” that the fire started at an electric vehicle charging station and that electronic locks prevented firefighters from entering the three-storey building.Polymer businessman Manoj Pugalia, whose son Saurabh was one of the four survivors of the tragedy, said the family’s electric hatchback was not even connected to a charging station when the fire broke out around 3.30am on Wednesday. “It is unclear how the short circuit could have occurred at the charging point as the car charger was not connected to the mains,” he told reporters.Saurabh also refuted the official claim that rescuers failed to enter the Brajeshwari annex because the opening mechanism of the electronic lock failed in the absence of power. He said the source of the fire was likely “external,” citing videos circulating on social media showing a pole on fire outside the building.Pujalia, his daughter-in-law Simran and six relatives, including a cancer patient and two children from Kishanganj in Bihar, died in the fire.DCP Amrendra Singh said forensic teams were still analyzing the electrical circuits of the charred vehicle and house to ascertain the cause of the fire. “There have been instances where electric vehicles caught fire without charging. We are exploring all angles, including statements from family members, to find out the exact cause of the fire.”CM Mohan Yadav met the survivors and assured them of a scientific investigation. “We will await a detailed investigation report and take appropriate measures to prevent such a tragic accident from happening again,” he said.