Four members of a family in Kanpur

KANPUR: Four members of a family were burnt alive when a blast occurred in a house in Prithvirampur locality, in Etawah district on Sunday. The family owned a firecracker business. The police have not confirmed the reason for the blast yet. Whether it was a cooking gas cylinder leak or whether the firecrackers or explosives dumped in the house caused the blast was being investigated by the police.
A probe has been ordered by the district magistrate Ashok Chandra to know the causes behind the blast.
Subodh (48) son of Bhoorey Lal, a resident of Prithvirampur village under the limits of Bakewar police station of the district was into firecracker business and the same he used to provide at marriage functions or any other celebrations. A powerful blast took place at his place on Sunday at around 11.15 a.m.. As per the sources, three back-to-back powerful blasts were heard by villagers working in their agricultural fields. Subodh, his daughter Puja (20) and son Mohit (15) died on the spot while his 43-year-old wife Usha, who was initially admitted to district hospital, succumbed to wounds while on way to PGI (Post Graduate Institute) in Saifai.
Subodh's three minor daughters Suhani, Arti and Jyoti, however, survived the blast as they had gone to the nearby fields to bring back their goats back home.
A major fire broke out in the house of Subodh following the blasts. His neighbours spotted flames leaping out from his house and informed district police control room and fire department. Cops and firemen rushed to the spot but by then the fire had not only engulfed the entire house of Subodh but also two neighbouring houses belonging to Totaram and Mahesh. It took more than two hours to douse the fire.
"Subodh, and his son and daughter's bodies were burnt beyond recognition," Bakewar police station in charge Yogendra Pal Sharma said. "We have called the Subodh's maternal uncle Ram Avtar from Auraiya from whom he had procured fire crackers, for questionning," Sharma said. A Fire officer said, "The blast probably occurred following a leakage in a small-sized gas stove on which the family was apparently cooking food. The fire spread rapidly and engulfed the firecrackers dumped inside the room further ingniting the situation. There was no direct access to the spot, so we had to use the other buildings to douse the fire."
Additional Superintendent of Police Rishi Pal Singh Yadav confirmed four people have died and said "forensic experts besides bomb disposal squad have been pressed into service to ascertain the reasons and type of blast. It seems the blast took place due to blast in cylinder which soon engulfed a huge consignment of fire crackers, which Subodh had brought from his maternal uncle Ram Avtar's place in Auraiya district, further aggravating the situation". The police later sent the bodies for post-mortem examination.
A district official said "An enquiry has been ordered and investigators have been asked to probe the reasons leading to blast causing four deaths".
Meanwhile, a large number of people gathered at the spot to watch the going on.