JAIPUR: A blaze triggered by firecrackers claimed the lives of a Congress councillor and her husband in a market in Rajasthan's Pali district on Monday.
The Ward 23 councillor of Khudala-Falna municipality, Usha Devi Poonamia (68) and her husband Prakash Poonamia (70) died in the incident.
Usha Devi died due to asphyxia, while her husband was burnt alive, police said.
Prakash Poonamia's elder brother, Gautam Poonamia (73), suffered serious burn injuries while trying to rescue them.
He was admitted to the Bangar Hospital in Pali.
The incident occurred around 10.30 pm on Sunday near the Swarn Mandir in Falna town of Pali.
Station House Officer, Falna, Panna Ram said some people were bursting firecrackers on the road when a spark fell on some firecrackers displayed outside a shop belonging to the Poonamia family.
The family had set up a firecracker shop outside their cosmetics and battery shop.
The fire spread rapidly and engulfed the cosmetics and battery shops.
As the flames spread, Usha Devi went into the shop's basement to escape the fire.
Her husband was also trapped there.
"Usha Devi went into the basement, but it soon filled with smoke, and she died due to suffocation, while Prakash got trapped in the shop and was burnt alive. Prakash's brother Gautam received critical burn injuries," he said.
Fire tenders were rushed from Sumerpur, Bali, Sadri and Rani to control the blaze.
Firefighters made around 25 trips to bring the fire under control, which was achieved around 2 am.
During the operation, water accumulated to a depth of nearly 10 feet in the basement.
Police then launched a rescue operation to locate the trapped couple. Their bodies were recovered around 5 am on Monday.
The bodies were kept at a mortuary for postmortem examination, the SHO said, adding that the couple's son works as a chartered accountant in Mumbai.
(With inputs from PTI)