Close shave for doc’s family as Endeavour catches fire

Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, October 29

Family of a senior doctor living in Shakti Vihar Colony had a narrow escape as his Ford Endeavour parked in the porch of his house caught fire. The heat was so intense that windowpanes on the ground floor were damaged.

Dr Raju Singh Chhina, Dean Academics and Medical Superintendent, DMCH, said yesterday, he and his wife returned home from the market and parked their SUV in the porch around 8.30 pm. “An hour later, the car’s engine started emanating smoke and in no time, it caught fire. The fire was so intense that several windowpanes on the ground floor were damaged.

“The families of mine and my brother had to go to the third floor. We could not get down for an hour till the fire was extinguished. Our neighbours tried to douse the flames by pouring sand and water over the burning engine, but in vain,” said Dr Chhina.

The fire brigade reached on time and they doused the flames in a short time. Had the fire brigade not controlled the fire in time, it could have spread on to the house,” he said.

Dr Chhina suspected that engine malfunction could be the cause of the fire. Though he had got the vehicle insured, he would consult his lawyer whether to sue the Ford company for selling a defective vehicle, he said.

“It’s not about the money I spent on this expensive vehicle. It’s about the risk that me and my family members were put in. We all family members could have been killed, had the fire spread on to our house. The SUV’s engine had remained shut for an hour, still it caught fire,” said the doctor.

He had bought the SUV last year. An Audi Q5 of his brother parked next to the Endeavour was also damaged.