Four family members die in suspected short circuit fire in Idukki

Kochi: The preliminary investigation into the tragic incident where four members of a family were killed after their house caught fire in Kombodinjal, a remote village in Idukki, found a short circuit to be the cause of the fire. The deceased were identified as Shuba, 39, her sons Abhinand, 9 and Abhinav, 5 and her mother-in-law Ponnamma, 75.

The incident came to light on Saturday when locals noticed smoke rising from the house and alerted the authorities. Police and fire force personnel reached the site to find the house completely gutted. The charred remains of the victims were recovered from the debris.

Preliminary investigations by the police suggest that a short circuit may have triggered the fire. "Our investigation didn't find any evidence of suicide. We suspect the deaths to be the result of a short circuit in the house. The forensic examinations are complete and we are awaiting the final results," a senior police officer said.

The remote location of the house reportedly delayed the immediate response from emergency services. "We are continuing the probe into the incident; all aspects will be examined in the investigation," the police officer said.