Fire breaks out inside well in Kallambalam; Three youths sustain serious burns

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Three youths sustained serious burns after a fire broke out inside a well at Kallambalam. The incident happened at around 11.30 am on Thursday. The injured have been identified as Sunu, Vineeth and Unni (Rajesh), natives of Kallambalam.

Vineeth and Unni, who suffered severe burns to their heads, faces and chests, have been shifted to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital. Both are undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit. Sunu, who suffered burns to his left hand and back, has been admitted at the Attingal Taluk Hospital. There is a suspicion that there was the presence of petrol inside the well.

The well is located beneath a building adjacent to a petrol pump operating near the national highway at Kallambalam. Sunu and Vineeth had come to clean the well, while Unni was there to assist them. The water in the well had been drained using a pump set. The fire broke out when a candle was lit to check the oxygen level before entering the well.

The candle lit was kept inside a bucket, and then lowered into the well using a rope. According to eyewitnesses, when the bucket had reached halfway down the well, flames suddenly began spreading upwards. One of the injured men said that the flames came up with a loud sound and knocked them away.

Since the well is located in a narrow area of the building, there was no scope for them to run away. This is believed to have contributed to the severity of their burns. The police suspect that the presence of fuel may have been inside the well because of its proximity to the petrol pump. A detailed inspection is currently underway to determine whether petrol or other fuel was present in the well and to establish the exact cause of the fire.