Woman, 4yo daughter killed in fire at grocery shop-cum-house
Bulandshahr : A 38-year-old woman and her four-year-old daughter were killed after a massive fire broke out at a grocery shop-cum-residence in the main market of Khekra on Thursday morning. More than 10 people, including the shopkeeper and neighbours who rushed to rescue the family, suffered burn injuries. Swati Jain (38), wife of shop owner Ankur Jain, and their daughter Anya Jain (4) were trapped inside the house and could not escape.
Police said goods stored in the shop and other combustible material inside the house may have contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. The fire, suspected to have been caused by a short circuit, spread rapidly through the shop and adjoining house. Two LPG cylinders exploded one after another, hampering firefighting and rescue efforts. Their bodies were recovered after nearly one-and-a-half hours of firefighting and rescue operations and sent for post-mortem. The sound of the blasts was heard across the market.
The matter is being investigated,” said fire officer Amrendra Pratap Singh. “Prima facie, a short circuit is suspected to have triggered the fire. DM Deepanshu Patel, ADM Rajiv Kumar Rai and ASP Praveen Singh Chauhan visited the site and reviewed the rescue operation.