Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], March 18 : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Wednesday described the recent fire incident linked to electric vehicle (EV) charging in Indore as a "new challenge" and directed officials to carry out a detailed investigation into the matter, which claimed eight lives.
In a post on X, the Chief Minister said that the state government would take steps to prevent such occurrences in the future and work towards spreading awareness among the public.
"The incident caused by an electric car charging point in Indore has brought a new challenge. Considering the seriousness of the incident, instructions have been given to officials to conduct a thorough investigation. We will work towards preventing such incidents and raising awareness. Facilities like digital locks are a necessity, but along with them, vigilance and caution are equally important," CM Yadav wrote in a post on X.
Speaking to reporters, Yadav said he was saddened by the deaths and that senior officials had been dispatched to the site to investigate.
"We received information about the Indore fire incident this morning and I am saddened that eight people died in the incident. We have sent officials from here and they will investigate the entire matter. We stand by the grieving family. Our senior officials have been sent to the incident site, and our ministers Kailash Vijayvargiya and Tulsi Silawat, along with other public representatives, are present at the spot," CM Mohan Yadav told reporters.
He further appealed to the public to observe necessary precautions while using facilities such as digital locks and EV charging points.
"I also urge the public to use digital locks and electronic doors with due caution. Along with this, remain vigilant and cautious while using EV chargers. I hope people will observe more precautions after this incident and the government will also work in this direction," the CM added.
Eight people died after a fire broke out at a three-storey house in the Brijeshwari Annexe residential locality in Indore district at around 4 AM on Wednesday, spreading rapidly through the structure.
Commissioner of Police (Indore) Santosh Kumar Singh informed about the chain of events that led to the incident. He said that it started from an EV charging point exploding while charging an electric vehicle, which was followed by explosions of "some" LGP cylinders.
"As per initial investigations, an electric vehicle was being charged outside the house, and the charging point exploded. After that, the fire then spread to the house from the car. We found that there were electronic locks in the building, so it seems that after the explosion, power cuts may occur and doors may be locked. It was a three-storey building, and more than 10 gas cylinders were also stored inside the house, some of which exploded. We also witnessed cylinder explosions between the time period of 4 am and 4:30 am," the police commissioner said.
He added that the fire tender team also checked the nearby houses and buildings as a precaution because too much heat was generated at the time of the blaze.