A horrific scene unfolded at Indore's Tilak Nagar Muktidham as seven funeral pyres were lit simultaneously, marking one of the city's darkest mornings. A devastating fire, triggered by an electric vehicle (EV) charging short circuit, claimed the lives of eight people, including a pregnant woman and a young child.

The incident occurred between 3:30 AM and 4:00 AM on Wednesday at the residence of rubber businessman Manoj Pugalia in Greater Brijeshwari Colony. What began as a routine charging of a Tata Punch EV turned into a death trap within minutes.

The Fatal Trap: How Technology and Chemicals Fueled the Blaze

Preliminary investigations suggest that a short circuit in the EV charging point ignited the vehicle, with the flames quickly spreading to the three-story building. The presence of polymer chemicals stored on-site acted as an accelerant, making the fire uncontrollable.

The tragedy was exacerbated by modern security features. As the fire caused a total power failure, the home's digital locks malfunctioned and remained sealed, trapping the victims inside. Rescuers eventually had to cut through metal grills to reach those trapped within the smoke-filled rooms.

The situation turned even more explosive as the heat reached several LPG cylinders stored in the house, leading to a series of blasts that caused a portion of the building to collapse. Among the deceased were six relatives who had arrived just a day earlier from Kishanganj, Bihar, for medical treatment.

Government Response and Urgent Calls for EV Safety Standards

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav have expressed deep condolences. The Prime Minister’s Office announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured.

State Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya described the event as an 'alarming situation' for the EV era. He has directed the Police Commissioner to form an expert committee to investigate the technical failures and establish a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for residential EV charging.

CM Mohan Yadav emphasized that while digital locks and smart home features are modern necessities, they require manual overrides and extreme caution to prevent such catastrophes in the future.