Couple burns coal to warm room, dies from carbon monoxide poisoning

An elderly couple from the Dashrath village of Vadodara died after inhaling carbon monoxide from the coal they had lit to warm themselves on the intervening night of Sunday, police said.

Vinod Solanki and his wife Usha—both in their late 50s, who lived in a residential colony, were found dead by their son on Sunday afternoon. The Chhani police sought the help of forensic experts to conclude that the couple died due to inhalation of the toxic carbon monoxide fumes.

According to the police, as the mercury dipped at sunset Saturday, Solanki lit the coal to warm the couple’s bedroom. The couple’s son Hardik, who lives in another apartment in Vadodara, arrived at his parent’s home to check on them after calls to his father’s phone were left unanswered Sunday morning.