Thiruvananthapuram: Two people died after a fire broke out in a two-story building at Pappanamcode on Tuesday. The fire department received the alert around 1.30 pm. 

Police suspect that the deceased were a couple. Initial findings suggest that Binu, the husband, killed Vaishnavi, who was running a franchise of an insurance company and then committed suicide.

According to eyewitnesses, the fire broke out on the second floor of the building at the signal junction at Pappanamcode. Local residents said an insurance firm's franchise functioned on this floor.

Fire personnel said the fire could be doused within 30 minutes. They found two people lying inside the office after sustaining serious burn injuries and were immediately shifted to the hospital. However, they were declared dead. Two units from Chenkalchoola fire station were deployed to Pappanamcode. The cause of the fire has yet to be ascertained. Residents said they heard a loud sound from the second floor.