In a tragic accident in Chennai’s Koyambedu, a family of three died after inhaling toxic gas that reportedly came from their air conditioner at home. According to the Koyambedu police, the incident took place around midnight when Kalaiarasi, 30, her husband Saravanan, 35, and their son, Karthikeyan, 8, went to sleep with the inverter for their AC switched on.

Earlier in the evening, there was a power cut in the area, the police said. And so, the family turned on their inverter and switched on the AC. However, when the family was asleep, the power was restored and the inverter was still on.

Speaking to TNM, one police officer said, “This caused the gas from the air conditioner’s cylinders to leak. They were asphyxiated by the gas. None of the doors and windows were left open so they suffocated.”

Neighbours got suspicious in the morning when the family did not step out to pick up the newspaper or the milk packets left at their doorstep. The neighbours informed the police and the family was found lying motionless at around 8:30 am by the police.

An FIR has been registered under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code police to enquire and report on suicide, etc.

“The bodies have been sent to the Kilpauk Medical College and the post mortem results are awaited,” said the officer.

In May last year, Gajendran, a 46-year-old man from Chennai’s Villivakkam was charred to death on account of an accidental fire that started from the air conditioner in his home. Residents noticed the smoke from the bedroom and alerted his family.