5 die as fire triggers cylinder blast

GUWAHATI: Five members, including four from a family, died after their house caught fire leading to an LPG cylinder blast in Dibrugarh on Saturday, police officials said.

“Last night at around 1am there was an LPG cylinder blast. Three houses were burnt and suffered damages because of it.

“Five persons who were sleeping in the house where the blast happened died,” said Gautam Borah, superintendent of Police, Dibrugarh.

The incident happened at the house of one Krishna Sunar in the Thermal Railway gate locality. Officials said Sunar was away when the incident happened.

The victims include his wife Maya Sunar, 50, younger son Vishal Sunar, two grandsons including 3-year-old Sankar Sunar and 5-year-old-Sibu Sunar and 50-year-old Nunu, who worked as a house help.

Dhrubajyoti Borah, the additional superintendent of Police of

› It appears that the LPG cylinder blast happened subsequently because of the fire DHRUBAJYOTI BORAH, ASP

the district said initial investigations point out that it was a candle which may have caused the fire in the small bamboo house.

“It appears that the LPG cylinder blast happened subsequently because of the fire,” said Borah.

A senior official of the Assam Fire and Emergency Services said as many as three fire tenders rushed to the spot immediately after the incident and doused the fire in a short time.

Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal expressed “deepest condolences” and directed the district administration to conduct an inquiry and release an ex gratia amount of ₹4 lakh to the next of kin of the victims, according to his office.