Diwali fires kill 22, Madhya Pradesh records the highest deaths
CNN Central News & Networks / ITDC India ePress / ITDC News / Agencies, Bhopal:
Fire incidents during Diwali across the country turned celebrations into mourning for many families. According to initial reports, 22 people died in fires in different parts of the country. Madhya Pradesh recorded the highest toll, with 12 deaths, while six members of one family died in Maharashtra’s Dharashiv district. Several others were also injured.
In Barhi town of Katni district in Madhya Pradesh, a crockery shop caught fire on Diwali night. The blaze quickly spread to the three-storey building above, where family members were living. Six people died in the incident. The deceased included elderly people as well as children. Firefighters had to struggle for nearly five hours to douse the flames and rescue those trapped.
In Mahavir Ward of Chhapara town in Seoni district, a three-storey house belonging to a goldsmith caught fire early Monday. Six members of the family, including Kundanlal Soni, died in the incident, while four people were injured. The cause of the fire is being investigated.
In Yedshi village of Maharashtra’s Dharashiv district, a fire also spread to the upper floor of a grocery shop on Diwali night. Six members of one family living there died of suffocation. One person was rescued. The initial suspicion is that the fire was caused by a lamp, but this has not been officially confirmed.
After these successive incidents, questions are being raised over firefighting arrangements, safety measures in residential buildings and the storage of inflammable material in shops.
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