Three members of a family were killed due to suffocation after the refrigerator in their house exploded, spreading toxic gas in a village in the district today, police said.
48-year old Kandhavel, his mother and wife were asphyxiated to death while his three children, sleeping in another room, escaped at Vilandhai village near Thirukoilur, over 150 km from Chennai.
The mishap occurred around 2 am when the refrigerator burst and gas from the compressor engulfed the occupants along with smoke.
One of the daughters of Kandhavel woke up smelling some gas and alerted her two sisters, who were rescued by the neighbours after they shouted for help.
Police said an investigation into the cause of explosion of the refrigerator was going on.
