Kumily car fire tragedy: Victim identified, fatal outcome due to seatbelt jam

Kumily: The police has identified the person who perished in a devastating car fire in Kumily on Monday. According to the police, the victim is Roy Sebastian (64), resident of Kumily. The incident occurred around 8:30 pm on Monday, resulting in severe burns that proved fatal for Roy.

The smoke was noticed emanating from Roy's car as it descended the Kurishupalli slope on the Kottarakkara-Dindigul highway. A bike driver, who overtook the car from behind, alerted Roy to disembark from the vehicle, but before he could react, the car caught fire and veered out of control. The car collided with the motorbike, leading to both vehicles being engulfed in flames. The bike rider had, however, escaped before the collision.

Eyewitnesses attempted to rescue Roy from the car, but the seat belt, which could not be released in time, prevented an immediate evacuation. The fire quickly spread, resulting in extensive damage to both the car and the motorcycle. Firefighters from Peerumedu were called in to extinguish the blaze, which disrupted traffic on the Kottarakkara-Dindigul highway for almost ninety minutes.

Roy's body was later transferred to the mortuary at Peerumedu Taluk Hospital.