Driver Dies Of Suffocation After Lighting Coal Heater Inside Car In Nainital

A tragic incident unfolded in Uttarakhand's Nainital, where a taxi driver, identified as Manish Ghandhar from Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, was found dead inside his car. The taxi driver picked up passengers from Noida on December 27 and reached Nainital, a tourist spot, the same day. He parked his car at Sukhataal at around 9:00 pm.

The driver had reportedly lit a coal brazier (coal angithi) inside the vehicle to stay warm and get some comfort in the cold winter night of the hill station. He fell asleep with the windows closed, which might have led to the inhalation of poisonous gases from the brazier, causing suffocation. 

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The next morning (December 28), the parking staff alerted the police when he didn't respond. Police also tried to wake him up, but eventually broke the window to gain access.

They found him unresponsive, covered with a blanket. White foam was also formed in his mouth, which indicates poisoning. He was immediately rushed to BD Pandey Hospital, where he was declared dead.

The police have informed his family.

Initial probe suggests Ghandhar suffered carbon monoxide poisoning from the coal brazier as the likely cause of death. However, the police will conduct further investigations, including a post-mortem, to determine the exact cause.

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The incident has gained significant attention on social media, with many users sharing critical information about keeping a coal brazier inside vehicles or rooms with no ventilation. 

One user noted that when carbon reacts with oxygen, it produces heat and carbon dioxide. But the glass of the car was closed, and in the absence of oxygen, it becomes carbon monoxide, which is an odourless, poisonous gas.

"Don't sleep in your car. Don't use a fire pot inside the car. Don't sleep with windows fully closed," another user suggested.

"Keep a separate Driver's room with Bunk beds. Your hotel is in Nainital, tourist will visit your city with Drivers," one user requested hotel owners.