Muzaffarpur: A late-night fire claimed the lives of five members of a family and left five others critically injured in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district, officials confirmed on Saturday. The victims include Lalan Shah, his mother, his wife and their two children. The injured have been admitted to a nearby government hospital for urgent treatment.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Suchitra Kumari said the fire broke out around midnight in ward number 13 of Motipur locality. She said the blaze, suspected to be triggered by a short circuit, spread rapidly across the third floor of the house while the occupants were asleep. Fire tenders reached the spot soon after receiving the alert and managed to contain the flames, but five people had already died by the time help arrived.
She added that the injured suffered severe burn wounds and the bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem examination. Locals were the first to notice the flames and rushed to help, but the intensity of the fire prevented them from rescuing the trapped family. They immediately informed the fire control room and local police, who are now conducting further investigations into the incident.
