Patna, March 19 – Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed his deep condolences on Thursday over the death of six people from the Kishanganj district, who died in a devastating fire in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
In his message, the Chief Minister prayed for strength and courage for the bereaved families during this difficult time.
He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund for the next of kin of the deceased.
Additionally, instructions have been issued to the Resident Commissioner in New Delhi to ensure the dignified transportation of the remains to their native villages in Bihar.
The tragic incident occurred on Wednesday between 3 and 4 a.m. at Brijeshwari Enclave, under the jurisdiction of the Tilak Nagar police station in Indore.
A massive fire engulfed a three-story building, resulting in the death of eight people, including six members of a family from Bihar.
According to preliminary reports, the fire is suspected to have originated from an electric car that was parked outside the house and connected for charging.
A short circuit allegedly caused the vehicle to catch fire, and the flames quickly spread to the entire building.
The intensity of the blaze was further aggravated by explosions in LPG cylinders inside the house, leaving little time for occupants to escape.
The deceased from Bihar have been identified as Vijay Sethia (65), Suman (60), Manoj (65), Simran (30), Chhotu Sethia (22), and Rashi Sethia (12), all residents of the Town Police Station area in Kishanganj.
Another individual also lost their life in the incident, while three others sustained serious burn injuries and are currently undergoing treatment.
According to local eyewitnesses, Vijay Sethia, a cosmetics businessman, had been residing in Kishanganj for nearly two decades.
He was suffering from oral cancer and had recently travelled to Indore with his family for treatment.
He had undergone surgery at the Kokilaben Hospital and was staying at the residence of relatives in Brijeshwari Enclave at the time of the incident.
Indore Police Commissioner Santosh Kumar Singh said that authorities received information about the fire around 4 a.m. on Wednesday.
Preliminary findings suggest that a family gathering was underway when the fire broke out, leading to a catastrophic situation.
"The fire spread rapidly through the building and triggered an LPG cylinder explosion. Six bodies were recovered from one floor, while another casualty was confirmed later. In total, seven people have died, and three individuals were rescued," the Indore Police Commissioner added.
The incident has plunged the entire Kishanganj locality into grief, as an entire family was killed in the tragedy.
Investigations are ongoing to ascertain the exact cause of the fire.