New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed grief over the loss of lives in the Indore fire incident and announced a financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin and Rs 50,000 for the injured.

At least six people lost their lives after a fire broke out in a three-storey house in Tilak Nagar area of Madhya Pradesh’s Indore in the early hours of Wednesday, officials said.

Taking to X, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said, “Deeply pained by the loss of lives in a fire mishap in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.”

“An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000,” it added.

The blaze erupted during the wee hours, catching residents off guard and spreading rapidly through the building.

According to officials, the house belonged to a businessman identified as Manoj. An electric vehicle had reportedly been plugged in for charging outside the residence, and a short circuit linked to it is suspected to have triggered the fire. Within a short span, flames engulfed the entire three-storey structure, leaving little time for occupants to escape.

Indore Collector Shivam Verma confirmed the fatalities while speaking to IANS. He said that more than 10 people were present inside the house at the time of the incident. While three individuals were rescued in time, six others could not be saved.

He further informed that a firefighting team comprising around 8 to 10 personnel rushed to the spot and managed to bring the blaze under control after sustained efforts.

Neighbours said that the family had guests over when the incident occurred, which increased the number of people inside the house at the time.

“At around 3 a.m., we got to know about the fire. We immediately called the fire services. However, the fire was so massive that it quickly spread all over the house. Some of the residents of the house are injured, and some have been confirmed dead,” a neighbour told IANS.

Councillor Rajiv Jain described the family as well-known and socially active in the locality.

“They used to be active in all the works and used to help everyone. It is a very unfortunate incident. We hope that the injured recover soon,” Jain told IANS.

Meanwhile, those injured in the incident have been admitted to a nearby hospital and are undergoing treatment, while the bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem examination.

Authorities said further details regarding the incident are awaited as the investigation continues.

–IANS

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