Chennai: A couple living in an apartment in Chennai’s Porur suffered burn injuries after the air conditioner in their room went up in smoke. The couple’s sons who were asleep in the adjacent room were unhurt.

Reports suggest that Prakash and Bindu were sleeping in their bedroom when a spark from the AC blew up the compressor at around 12: 30 AM on that day.

Moments later, the room was filled with smoke and the couple had no way to escape. Upon hearing the blast, neighbours rushed to the couple’s apartment, in a bid to help them.

While neighbours were struggling to open the doors to the apartment, a police patrol vehicle had also reached the spot.

The police had also summoned fire engines from Virugambakkam fire station and brought the situation under control.

The couple was rushed to the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital where it came to light that Bindu had suffered 40% burns on her body. Her husband, Prakash however, had suffered lesser burns.

The incident comes at a time when a fridge explosion had made it to the headlines. A TV journalist, his wife and mother were all asphyxiated when the fridge in their house exploded in the dead of the night.

The fire which was started in their fridge spread to flammable plastic in the house. The trio were asleep when the incident happened and by the time they could rush out, thick black smoke had engulfed the house suffocating them.

According to primary investigation, the fire started in the fridge due to high voltage.

Their bodies were recovered from the living room of their house, the following morning when their domestic help had called the police.