A quiet morning in Greater Brijeshwari Colony near Bengali Square turned into horror when an Indore EV fire claimed eight lives and left four others battling severe burns. The blaze started around 3:30 am on Wednesday when a short circuit in an electric car parked outside a three-storey house sparked a massive fire that quickly spread inside.

Rubber trader Manoj Pugalia’s home became a death trap within minutes. The fire reached LPG cylinders stored inside, causing one explosion after another. A sudden power cut jammed the electronic door locks, leaving people trapped with no escape route. Neighbours and a passer-by on morning walk raised the alarm, but by then eight were already inside the burning house.

Victims and Injured in Indore EV Fire

The dead include Manoj Pugalia’s daughter-in-law Simran (30) and seven relatives who had arrived from Kishanganj, Bihar, just a day earlier. Among them were Vijay Sethia (65), who had come to Indore for jaw cancer treatment, his wife Suman (60), son Chhotu (22), daughter-in-law Rashi (12), and others: Manoj Jain (60), Tinu (35) and Tanay (8).

Four survivors – Saurabh Pugalia (30), Sunita, Ashish (30) and Harshit Pugalia (25) – suffered serious burns and are under treatment at MGM Medical College. Post-mortems of seven victims are complete; two have been discharged.

How the Indore EV Fire Spread So Fast

Police Commissioner Santosh Kumar Singh said the house belonged to polymer businessman Manoj Pugalia and contained flammable chemicals that acted as fuel. Nine gas cylinders were inside. The short circuit at the EV charging point outside the house ignited the car, flames entered the home, and repeated cylinder blasts caused part of the building to collapse.

Manoj’s eldest son, who was outside during the fire, told reporters: “My sister, maternal uncle’s daughter, her two children, and my younger maternal uncle’s son arrived just yesterday. This incident happened the very next morning.”

Officials React and Raise Safety Concerns

Madhya Pradesh ministers rushed to the spot. Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya called it an “alarming situation in the era of EVs” and announced an expert committee will investigate. He also noted the fire brigade reached 30 minutes late. Minister Tulsi Silawat took stock of the situation on ground.

This is not the first such tragedy in Indore. Last year, on October 23, 2025, Congress leader Pravesh Agrawal died in a similar fire when digital locks malfunctioned during a blaze started in his home temple.

Urgent Lessons from Indore EV Fire

Experts and police are now urging EV owners to:

- Charge vehicles only in open, well-ventilated areas away from homes

- Avoid storing LPG cylinders near charging points

- Install manual override systems for electronic locks

- Keep fire extinguishers and smoke alarms updated

The Indore EV fire has once again highlighted growing risks as electric vehicles become common across India. While EVs promise a greener future, this tragedy shows that safety standards for charging and home storage must catch up fast.

Authorities have launched a full investigation. Families in Kishanganj and Indore are in mourning. As the city counts its losses, the message is clear: one short circuit should never cost eight innocent lives.

Singrauli Mine Collapse Claims Three Lives

A tragic Singrauli mine collapse on Sunday afternoon has left three people dead, including two young girls, and two women critically injured, sending shockwaves across Parsouhar village in Madhya Pradesh’s Singrauli district. The accident occurred around 1:21 PM while villagers were digging Chhui—a local clay used for plastering homes—highlighting once again the deadly risks linked to unregulated soil excavation in rural areas.

According to Jiawan police, the soil caved in suddenly, trapping five women and girls beneath tons of loose earth. The incident unfolded so rapidly that those present had no time to escape, turning a routine livelihood activity into a fatal disaster.

What Happened at Parsouhar Village?

Women and girls from nearby villages had gathered at the site with simple tools like trowels and shovels to extract clay. During the digging, a large section of soil collapsed without warning.

Key details of the incident:

 Time: Around 1:21 PM on Sunday

 Location: Parsouhar village, Singrauli district

 Activity: Extraction of Chhui clay

 Victims: Five trapped, three dead, two injured

Hearing screams from the site, nearby villagers rushed in and began digging frantically to rescue those buried under the soil.

Rescue Operations and Police Response

Initial rescue efforts were carried out manually using shovels and pickaxes. Soon after, the sarpanch and local authorities were alerted. Police teams from the Kundwar outpost and Jiawan police station reached the scene, and a JCB machine was deployed to speed up the rescue.

Despite intense efforts, two girls and one woman were found dead at the spot. Two other women were rescued in an unconscious state and rushed to the hospital by ambulance, where they are currently undergoing treatment.

Victims Identified

Police have identified the deceased as:

 Preeti Singh (10) – resident of Harhawa village

 Basanti (16) – resident of Harhawa village

 Phoolmati Yadav (50) – resident of Bandha village

The injured women are:

 Kaushalya Singh (50) – Parsouhar village

 Sakmuni Singh (45) – Chandreh village

Post-mortem procedures have been initiated, and an inquest report has been prepared by the authorities.

Why This Tragedy Matters Now

The Singrauli mine collapse raises urgent questions about safety in informal mining and soil digging activities, which are common in many rural parts of Madhya Pradesh. With no protective measures, training, or monitoring, villagers—especially women and children—remain vulnerable to such fatal accidents.

Experts stress the need for:

Clear safety guidelines for soil and clay extraction

 Local administration oversight

 Community awareness on excavation risks

A Wake-Up Call for Rural Safety

This heartbreaking soil digging tragedy is more than a local accident—it is a stark reminder of the human cost of neglecting safety in rural livelihoods. As Singrauli mourns the loss of three lives, including two children, the focus must now shift to prevention, accountability, and stronger safety measures to ensure such tragedies are not repeated.