Residents of an apartment complex in Chennai’s Vadapalani area were woken up to smoke billowing inside their apartment in the wee hours of Monday morning after a suspected electrical wiring problem sparked a fire.

The smoke from the fire choked at least 4 residents to death, while several others are critical.

According to police officials in Vadapalani, the fire is said to have broken out around 4 30am on Monday morning, when a possible electrical spark set several two-wheelers and vehicles parked at the complex on fire. The smoke from the massive fire downstairs made its way upward, filling up the apartments.

At least 9 people were stuck in their apartment, of which four people - two siblings Sandhya (10) and Sanjay (4) and a daughter-in-law and mother-in-law duo, Meenakshi (60) and Selvi (30), died.

The apartment complex has been identified as RJES Apartments in Vadapalani.

Investigations are still on to find out what was the exact cause of the fire. Initial reports suggest that a faulty wire of the Electrical Board could have cause the fire.

According to fire department officials, five fire tenders were rushed to the spot. The people rescued were taken to the Kilpauk government general hospital.

A case has been filed by the Vadapalani police.

More details awaited.