Bantwal: 'Elderly Couple died while trying to extinguish hill fire'

Bantwal: The elderly couple, Gilbert Carlo (78) and his wife Christina Carlo (70), died while trying to extinguish the fire that broke out on the hill near their residence, the police complaint filed by a family member claimed.

In the heartbreaking incident, the elderly couple, residents of Thundupadav near Lorettopadav in Bantwal, lost their lives in a fire on Sunday.

According to the complaint filed at the Bantwal Town police station by Norbert, a nephew of Gilbert, the fire broke out in a hilly area. Norbert and Christina attempted to extinguish the flames however the fire engulfed the couple and caused fatal burns.

A case has been registered in connection with the incident.

The complaint says that the elderly couple, already suffering from illness, faced additional challenges in escaping the fire. Their inability to move swiftly and the effects of the thick smoke likely contributed to their tragic fate.

The couple’s bodies are currently in the mortuary at a hospital in Thumbe.

Funeral postponed:

Funeral of the couple was initially scheduled for January 30. However, due to the arrival of Gilbert’s younger brother Cyprian Carlo, who is serving as a chaplain in the USA, the funeral has been postponed to January 31. The daughters of the deceased, who were abroad, arrived on January 29 to join the mourning.