Three minor siblings, including a girl, died and their mother fell sick due to suffocation caused by accumulation of coal smoke in their house in Surguja district of Chhattisgarh, police said today.
"The incident came to light this morning when the woman, identified as Hirabai (32), sought help from her neighbourers in Gumgarakala village, located around 450 km away from Raipur," Lakhanpur police station officer (SHO) Sunil Kumar Kerketta told PTI.
The family resides in a single-room house which has no windows.
"After having dinner, Hirabai kept the coal fire lit in 'sigdi' (iron stove) in the room to keep her family warm. She closed the door before going to sleep along with her children," the SHO said.
When she woke up in the early hours, Hirabai found her children unconscious, following which she raised an alarm for help before losing consciousness, he said.
Hirabai's husband was out of the village for some work.
After receiving information about the incident, a police team reached the spot and rushed the children and the woman to a local hospital.
The children were declared brought dead at the hospital, the officer said, adding that Hirabai is stable and recuperating.
They were identified as Premchand (13), Pritam (9) and Aarti (7), he said.
"According to doctors, the children died because of inhaling carbon monoxide emitted by burning coal inside the room," he said.
A case has been registered and further investigation is underway.
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