Pathanamthitta: An elderly couple in Kerala narrowly escaped with their lives after a fire, believed to have been caused by an air conditioner short circuit, gutted their bedroom, fire officials said on Saturday.

The incident occurred in Kozhencherry in Pathanamthitta district on Friday night. According to fire service officials, the couple had gone to bed at around 9 pm when the air conditioning unit developed a fault and caught fire.

The couple, who live alone, quickly fled the house and alerted the fire service. Neighbours rushed to assist and safely removed gas cylinders from the property through a rear entrance, helping to prevent a potentially more serious incident.

Firefighters arrived promptly and brought the blaze under control, ensuring it did not spread to other parts of the house or nearby homes, which are situated close to one another.

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While gold ornaments and some important documents in the room were not damaged, most of the wooden furniture was completely destroyed in the fire.

The couple said the air conditioner had not been serviced for the past two years. “We usually switch on the AC for two to three hours at night and then turn it off,” the man told a television channel.

(PTI)