Two children injured in car blast succumb to burns

A devastating car explosion claimed the lives of two young siblings, Alfred Martin, 6, and Emily Martin, 4, in the district on Saturday. The siblings had suffered severe burns in the blast on Friday evening at Polpully, Chittur. They succumbed to their injuries at Jubilee Mission Medical College Hospital, Thrissur.

Their mother, Elsy Martin, 40, a nurse at Palana Hospital, Palakkad, and elder sister Aleena, 10, are still fighting for their lives in critical care.

The family was rushed to the hospital after the explosion, which occurred when Elsy turned on the car’s ignition around 5 p.m. on Friday. The Maruti 800 car burst into flames, and local people rescued the family and rushed them to the hospital.