13 people die in separate Diwali fire incidents in Madhya Pradesh
Three separate fires in Katni, Seoni and Ujjain districts claimed 13 lives, including a two-month-old infant.
At least 13 people died during three separate fire incidents in Madhya Pradesh on Diwali, according to The New Indian Express. The fatalities occurred in the Katni, Seoni and Ujjain districts.
In Katni district's Barhi town, a fire broke out around midnight at a three-storey building housing a crockery and plastic shop. Six members of the Agrawal family died, including 77-year-old Pooran Agrawal, his wife Chandrakala, 75, daughter-in-law Poonam, and grandchildren Arya, 14, Anvi, 6, and a two-month-old infant. Katni District Collector Ashish Tiwari apologised for the loss of life, noting that technical glitches in some fire brigade vehicles delayed efforts.
A second fire occurred in the early hours in Chhapara town of Seoni district, killing six members of the Soni family. The deceased were Kundan Soni, 75, Rajkumari Soni, 65, Ritu Soni, 42, Smriti Soni, 40, Surya Soni, 45, and Aditya Soni, 16. In Ujjain district, a man aged approximately 107 died after being choked during a blaze at two ground-floor shops in the Nagjhiri area.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav stated on X that the state government would provide Rs 4 lakh in assistance to the families of the 12 people killed in the Katni and Seoni fires. He described the deaths as heartbreaking and offered tributes to the deceased.
In Katni, police superintendent Abhinay Vishwakarma said the single entry and exit point made rescue efforts difficult, requiring the SDERF team to drill a passage through an adjoining building. The exact cause of the fires remains under investigation.