5 of a family die in fire

Five of a family were burnt to death when their house caught fire after a live electric line severed and fell on their tin-roofed house early yesterday at Jangaon village in Pirganj upazila in the district.  

The victims were identified as Khoresh Chandra Roy, 42, a police constable of Dinajpur Kotwali Police Station, who was at home for Durga Puja, his wife Tiya Rani Roy, 35, daughter Nice Roy, 10, son Nirnoy Roy, 8, and his sister-in-law Shondha Rani Roy, 22.       

Anisur Rahman, assistant director of Thakurgaon Fire Service and Civil Defence, said the snapped live electrical wire ignited the fire as soon as it fell on the tin roof and several flammable items -- including a heap of raw jute and a motorbike -- in the house apparently catalysed the fire. 

The fire incident was reported to the fire service at approximately 5:15am and fire units reached the scene at around 5:35am, he added.

However, deputy general manager of local Rural Electrification Board (REB) AKM Masudur Rahman denied claim, saying that a severed wire would trip the electrical circuit and thus it would not ignite any fire.

Fire fighters pulled out dead bodies of the two sisters -- Tiya Rani and her sister Shondha Rani, and three others in a critical state from the charred debris of the house.

They rushed the three victims to Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital.

With their condition deteriorating fast, the victims were soon transferred to Rangpur Medical College Hospital, where they succumbed to their injuries, said Hitler Haque, local union parishad chairman.  

Locals echoed the claim made by Hitler and Hira Lal Roy, Khoresh Chandra's elder brother, that the snapped electric line of REB was the cause of the fire.

Farhad Ahmed, superintendent of Thakurgaon police, said two committees have been formed to investigate the cause of the fire incident.

The district police have formed a five-member committee, headed by additional police superintendent, while a seven-member committee, headed by additional district magistrate, was formed by the district administration, he added.