Elderly couple die, 2 take ill after inhaling generator smoke

A 60-year old man and his wife died of asphyxiation and his mother and son hospitalised today after they inhaled thick smoke emanating from a generator in their house in Athupollachi, about 40 Kms from here.
According to police, the couple, their 18-year old son and the latter's grandmother were sleeping in a room with a generator switched on due to power failure.
Thick smoke emanating from the generator engulfed the room.
Hearing the screams of the boy and his grandmother, neighbours broke into the house and rushed the four to hospital.
The couple were declared brought dead at the hospital.

The boy was admitted to a private hospital here, while the grandmother in Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, police said adding the cause of the smoke was under investigation.