Chennai:
Four workers were burnt alive in a fire at a scrap plastic godown in the Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu around midnight.
Though fire fighters were able to rescue a few people including the watchman, the four victims, all workers, officials say were trapped in a small room in the middle of a near 100-foot-long yard.
Vijay Shekar, Deputy Director of the Fire and Rescue Department, said "Fire fighters reached within ten minutes after we receive the SOS at 12:45 am. The smoke had spread at least to a kilometre away. By the time we could reach the location where the workers were feared trapped, it was too late. They were found charred beyond recognition".
A car parked in the adjoining compound was gutted. Rescue teams were able to retrieve a few other cars in the vicinity.
17 fire engines and four water tankers from Chennai Metro Water were deployed. The cause of the fire is being investigated.