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FIRE-KILLS-INDIA
Fire in residential building kills 5 in India
NEW DELHI, July 23, 2018 (BSS/Xinhua) – At least five members of a family
were killed and few others suffered burn injuries Monday in a devastating
fire inside a residential building in northern Indian state of Himachal
Pradesh, officials said.
The fire broke out during morning hours at Ner Chowk in Mandi district,
about 127 km north of Shimla, the capital city of Himachal Pradesh.
“Fire broke out today inside a residential building here, killing five of a
family besides injuring couple of people,” said Rugved Takhur, district
magistrate of Mandi. “It is a crowded area and there are no reports of people
being trapped inside.”
Immediately following the reports of fire, fighter tenders along with
firefighters were rushed to the spot.
Several people who were trapped in the building were evacuated safely by
firefighters, police said.
Authorities have ordered a probe into the cause of the fire. However,
initial reports said blast of a cooking gas cylinder in one of the households
triggered the blaze.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1158 hrs