Twin Diwali-night house fires in Madhya Pradesh kill 12, wiping out two families

Two separate house fires in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Diwali night killed 12 people, including a two-month-old infant, wiping out two families; four others were rescued and taken to hospital. The causes of both fires are still unknown and police are investigating each incident. (Image: file photo of a house fire at night, unrelated to these incidents.)

Katni: six of one family killed as three-storey building burns

The first fire broke out around midnight in Barhi town, Katni district, in a three-storey building with a crockery shop on the ground floor. The blaze spread rapidly to the upper floors, where the family was sleeping. The dead were named as Puran Agrawal, 77, his wife Chandrakala, 74, daughter-in-law Poonam, 35, Arya, 14, Anvi, 6, and a two-month-old infant. Two other family members escaped in the first moments. Rescue teams worked through the night; Puran Agrawal was pulled out around 4:30 a.m., and the other five bodies were recovered around 6:30 a.m. after rescuers broke through a wall with a JCB machine.

Seoni: bullion trader's home catches fire, six killed

The second fire broke out around 3 a.m. at the home of bullion trader Kundan Soni in Mahavir Ward, Chhapara town, Seoni district, killing six members of the family: Kundan Lal Soni, 75, Rajkumari Soni, 65, Ritu Soni, 42, Smriti Soni, 40, Surya Soni, 45, and Aditya Soni, 16. Ten people were in the house; four others, including two minors, were rescued and admitted to hospital. Police said the family was asleep when the blaze erupted, leaving them little chance to escape.

Causes unknown; residents question fire response

The cause of neither fire has been established. Sub-Divisional Officer of Police Virendra Narve said the Katni fire was suspected to have been triggered by a diya (oil lamp) or a short circuit, but the exact reason would only be known after an investigation. Local residents alleged lapses in the firefighting response, saying the Barhi fire tender arrived with a damaged pipe and the vehicle from Vijayraghavgarh also had a faulty pipe; tenders from Kaimore and the Katni Municipal Corporation later joined and brought the blaze under control. The twin tragedies have raised concerns over fire safety arrangements and emergency response during festivals.