Five puppies charred to death in fire at breeder’s house

Five foreign puppy breeds, including four golden retrievers and one Shih Tzu, were killed in a fire caused by a short circuit in a room in Saidapet, Chennai. The owner, M Padmavathi, managed to unlatch the cages and turn off the gas and electric switches before escaping the house. The rescue efforts were hindered by the house’s location and narrow street. The cause of the puppies’ deaths is still under investigation.