Six members of family, including three children killed as fire engulfs house in Himachal's Sirmaur
CHANDIGARH: Six members of a family, including three children, were charred to death in a fire that broke out at a house in the Talagna village in Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur district in the wee hours of Thursday.
The family was reportedly asleep inside the house, when the fire started, around 2 am on Thursday. The blaze spread rapidly, trapping them. Only one person survived, while six others lost their lives.
The exact cause of the fire is under investigation. Talangna is a remote village in the Sangrah subdivision and lacks road connectivity, which hampered rescue efforts.
According to Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Sangrah, Sunil Kayath, preliminary investigation suggested that the fire started from the 'chula (traditional hearth)'.
"Six bodies have been recovered. Two victims were from Rajgarh in Sirmaur, while four belonged to Nerva in Shimla district,"’ he said.
The intensity of the fire made identification of the bodies extremely difficult.
According to sources, the deceased have been identified as Naresh of Taproli in Rajgarh, his wife Tripta, Kavita from Kumda village in Chaupal and their three young children, Sarika, Kritika, and Kritic.
42-year-old Lokender, husband of Kavita, was rescued by villagers in critical condition and shifted to a hospital in Solan. His condition remains serious.
The family had gathered at the house, which belongs to Mohan Singh, to celebrate Boda Tyohar, the annual festival of the Hattee community, where married daughters return to their paternal homes.
Expressing grief over the incident, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu offered condolences to the bereaved family members.
The CM directed the district administration to carry out a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire and to ensure that all possible assistance is extended to the bereaved families at the earliest. He also directed the administration to ensure proper medical tratement of the injured person.
Union Health Minister J P Nadda and leader of opposition Jai Ram Thakur have also expressed grief over the fire incident.
The tragic incident came less than a week after ten people, including nine of Nepalese origin, were killed in a fire at Arki in Solan district.