Six members of family killed in fire during Diwali celebrations in Maharashtra

MUMBAI: Six members of a family died after a fire broke out at their house during Diwali celebrations in Maharashtra's Dharashiv district. The incident occurred around 2.30 am on Monday at Yedshi village. The preliminary investigation suggests that the fire may have started from a lit oil lamp (diya).

The fire reportedly spread from a grocery shop on the ground floor of the building. The six family members trapped on the upper floor could not escape. Only one member of the family managed to survive the incident. The deceased have been identified as Uttam Trimbak Karande, Chandrakala Uttam Karande, Govind Uttam Karande, Jyoti Govind Karande, Gayatri Govind Karande and Siddhi Govind Karande. Their bodies have been shifted to the Dharashiv Government Hospital for post-mortem examination.

According to preliminary information, the family members had remained awake until around 2 am as part of the Diwali celebrations. Large quantities of cooking oil, ghee and plastic products were stored in the grocery shop, which reportedly helped the fire spread rapidly.

Fire and rescue personnel, along with local residents, rushed to the spot after receiving information about the incident. They tried to rescue those trapped inside and bring the fire under control, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Dharashiv District Collector Keerthi Kiran Pujar said an investigation had been launched to determine the exact cause of the fire.