Birthday turns tragic as AC blast kills father, injures son in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: Hours after celebrating his son's 19th birthday, a 45-year-old man died of suspected suffocation while the teenager suffered severe burns and smoke inhalation after the compressor of a window air-conditioner allegedly exploded and sparked a fire at their home in Chhattisgarh's Raigarh district on Thursday.The incident took place in Chakradhar Nagar. The deceased was identified as Purushottam Patel, while his son, Aryan Patel (19), was undergoing treatment at a medical college hospital where his condition was state to be stable. According to investigators, the father and son had gone to sleep after celebrating Aryan's birthday on Wednesday night when the window AC compressor allegedly exploded. The blast filled the small room with thick smoke and triggered a fire that spread to two motorcycles parked outside the house, police suspect.Police suspect the flames and dense smoke near the entrance blocked their only escape route, trapping the two inside.Hearing the explosion, neighbours rushed to the spot and alerted Dial-112. Police personnel and local residents broke open the door and rescued the father and son before shifting them to hospital. Station house officer Rakesh Mishra said a forensic team examined the spot and police have launched a detailed investigation to determine the exact cause of the blast.