A devastating fire in East Champaran district claimed the lives of three people, including two young siblings, late Friday night. The incident took place at Barharawa Fatemohammad village under Kundawa-Chainpur police station area, where a three-storey building housing a wholesale general store and a family residence was completely engulfed in flames.
Details of the Incident
The fire erupted around midnight in the building owned by Raj Kumar Sah. The ground floor served as a general store stocked with groceries, plastic items, cosmetics, and other flammable materials, while the upper floors were the family's living quarters. Raj Kumar, his two children, and a salesman were asleep when the blaze started. The fire spread rapidly due to the combustible goods, leaving little time for escape.
Raj Kumar managed to jump from the second floor to save his life, sustaining injuries. However, his son Rudra (8), daughter Shristi (10), and salesman Prince Kumar (28) were trapped inside a room and burned alive. The intense heat and thick smoke prevented any rescue attempt.
Firefighting Efforts
The flames and smoke caused panic among villagers, who rushed to the spot. Three fire engines arrived and battled the blaze for nearly six hours before bringing it under control. By then, all goods and household items had been reduced to ashes. Sikrahana SDPO Uday Shankar stated that the fire is suspected to have been caused by an electrical short circuit.
Authorities are investigating the incident, and the bodies have been sent for postmortem. The tragedy has left the village in shock, highlighting the dangers of storing flammable materials in residential areas.
