Indore, March 20 – The recent fire incident in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, which claimed the lives of eight people, has already raised several questions, including the lack of any regulations for setting up electric vehicle charging stations. Saurabh Pugalia, a survivor and member of the affected family, stated on Friday that the electric car that exploded during the incident was not connected to the charging point, and the police will investigate this.
The preliminary investigation by the Indore police suggests that the fire occurred due to an explosion from an EV charging point installed outside the house. Saurabh Pugalia, the son of businessman Manoj Pugalia, who was one of the victims in the tragic incident, has publicly rejected the police's initial findings, stating that no vehicle was plugged in at the time of the incident.
Saurabh stated that although the family often used to charge their electric car, it was not plugged into the charging point on Tuesday night.
"If nothing was plugged in, how could the charging point cause a fire or short circuit?" he asked.
He also denied the police's other initial finding that electronic door locks delayed rescue efforts after the power supply was cut, claiming that "there were no electronic locks in the house, and anyone can verify this."
However, the police stated that multiple authorities, including the fire department, the civic body, and the Indore district administration, have inspected the site and started their investigations, and their findings will be crucial to reaching any conclusion.
"The police investigation is still in its initial stages. The forensic science laboratory team has collected some samples from the site. Other agencies, including the fire department, the district administration, and others, are also investigating the incident. Once the investigations are completed and the reports from all the agencies are collected, we will analyze the reports and take further steps," said Manish Lodha, the Officer in Charge of Tilak Nagar Police Station.
The police officer also said that the investigation is being conducted from all possible angles, including electrical faults, structural factors, and response protocols.
Responding to Saurabh's claims and his denial of the police's version regarding the incident, Lodha said, "We can't deny anyone's claim of what caused the incident, but we are focused on our investigation and finding the exact reason. Again, I would say that multiple agencies are investigating the case, so let's wait for their findings."
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had also visited the affected family during his visit to Indore on Thursday and expressed his concerns regarding the use of electrical appliances such as air conditioners in enclosed spaces, and emphasized the need for regular inspection of electrical circuits in homes and commercial establishments.
During the meeting with Chief Minister Yadav, Saurabh had told him that the fire was not caused by the vehicle charging process itself, but by a short circuit at an electric pole.
Eight people, including two minors, were killed after a massive fire engulfed a three-story residential building following an explosion either from the charging point or an electric pole (under investigation) in Brijeshwari Annexe Colony under the Tilak Nagar police station area in Indore early Wednesday morning.