Over the weekend, we got news that a 34-year-old PwC India senior consultant was found dead at his Calcutta home. A maid noticed smoke and alerted the man’s parents, who lived downstairs. When the parents rushed into the room, they found their son’s bed partially in flames. Police and fire department officials initially suspected Sayan Chowdhury died of electrocution after discovering his charred body lying close to his charging laptop and iPod, headphones still in his ears. Police believe the man fell asleep with the laptop on.
“The preliminary post-mortem suggests he died of carbon monoxide inhalation, apparently while asleep,” joint commissioner of police Damayanti Sen said.
A friend told The Telegraph (India) that Chowdhury was “a very bright professional and had been rising fast in the organisation since switching from Cognizant Technology Solutions.” He leaves behind a six month old daughter and a wife, who also happens to work for PwC.
It is suspected at this time that Chowdhury died of carbon monoxide poisoning after the laptop charger short circuited in his tightly closed bedroom. The victim’s wife and newborn daughter were not in the home at the time, as they have been staying with his wife’s parents, who have been helping to care for the baby.
Experts suggest that it is possible the adapter attached to the power supply cord may have failed, leading to a 230-volt alternating current surge into the laptop, turning it into a death trap. Or, the battery may have got overcharged and exploded, spilling lethal chemicals on Chowdhury. Aside from the short circuit scenario, investigators have not ruled out the possibility that the fire and subsequent fatal CO inhalation was caused by a burning cigarette. “To identify the source of the CO, we have to wait for the forensic reports. The state forensic science laboratory officials collected samples of charred wire, the sample of half-burnt cigerettes,” an officer said.
What is the lesson here, kids? Well for one, don’t work too hard. Two, don’t leave your laptop on the charger. Three, don’t pass out with your laptop on the charger. Safety first!
ACCA is the worst company I have ever worked at. My line manager, Abdul, knew absolutely nothing and just had unrealistic expectations. He notoriously didn’t reply to my emails, didn’t provide the requested ACCA documentation and for months didn’t manage to ensure access to the basic tools I had to work with in ACCA. At the same time he gave me “to do” list with nearly 30 points on it.
The first task he gave me was to write a document that had to be complementary to ACCA global plan – a document which, contrary to what was stated in my objectives and what was explained to me by my line manager, hadn’t been created. In the end I had to write twenty pages document without essential documentation.
When I asked about the possibility of shadowing a colleague holding the same position, I was informed by my line manager that another employee on the same position doesn’t hold the same duties and responsibilities as I do although the position is the same. What is more, I didn’t receive my payslips on payday while working in ACCA and had no insight to the way in which my salary was calculated. As ACCA didn’t reply to my payslip request, the company had to be aware that ACCA is not acting within the law.