Fire kills five of a Thakurgaon family

Five members of a family, including two children, have been killed in Thakurgaon's Pirganj in a fire.

The fire started after a live electric wire snapped and fell on their home.

The 'freak accident' took place at Bhomradah Union's Jongaon village around 4am on Tuesday, said Pirganj police OC Amiruzzaman.

He identified those killed as Dinajpur traffic police's Constable Kharesh Chandra, 44, his wife Keya Rani, 38, their son 'Nirnoy', 8, and daughter 'Nice', 10, and Keya's sister Sandhya Rani, 34.

Quoting neighbours, the OC told bdnews24.com that the fire broke out from sparks of a 440 volt electric wire that had snapped and fallen on Chandra's house.

"As the flames spread through the five rooms, the fuel tank of a motorcycle parked inside the house exploded. Chandra's wife and sister-in-law were killed on the spot."

The police official said locals had tried to put out the fire and save the others, but failed as the fire spread.

Then, a fire-fighting unit from Pirganj Fire Station rescued Chandra and his two children with severe burns and sent them to Rangpur Medical College Hospital after dousing the fire.

The three were admitted there and being treated when they succumbed to their burn injuries, said the district's Additional Superintendent of Police Dewan Lalan Ahmed.

The district administration and police have formed two separate committees to look into the deadly fire.

Superintendent of Police Farhat Ahmed said both committees were given three days to submit their findings.

Additional District Magistrate Ashraful Islam is leading the local administration's team and Additional SP Lalan Ahmed the police team.