New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS): Six people died in their sleep and four suffered from minor suffocation after a fire broke out in a house in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) Kathua district, officials said on Wednesday.

Officials said that six people including two children were killed and four suffered from suffocation after the blaze broke out in their house in Shiva Nagar area of Kathua overnight.

“Initial reports suggest that the fire started from a room due to a lamp and quickly spread to other rooms.

“Six people were taken to hospital, but doctors said they were dead on arrival. They have been identified as 81-year-old Avtar Krishan, 17-year-old Ganga Bhagat, 15-year-old Danish Bhagat, 25-year-old Barkha Raina, 3-year-old Takash Raina and 4-year-old Advik Raina.

“The injured have been identified as 61-year-old Swarna, 40-year-old Neetu Devi, 69-year-old Kewal Krishan and 45-year-old Arun Kumar. They are being treated at the government medical college hospital in Kathua town”, officials said.

Surinder Atri, principal of Kathua Medical College said that the victims belonged to the family of a hospital assistant matron, who had recently retired from service.

“She was living in a rented accommodation. The incident took place around 2 A.M. and prima facie evidence suggests it was due to a fire caused by a Pooja lamp. There are no burn marks on the dead persons so they could have died of suffocation. The other four injured persons are stable”, the principal said.

Incidents of deaths due to suffocation have been reported during the winter months because of the use of LPG heaters and other heating appliances that deplete the oxygen content in a closed environment.

The deaths due to the fire triggered by a lamp that spread quickly giving the victims no time to escape, is a freak incident.

People are being continuously cautioned against the use of LPG heaters and other similar appliances that generate carbon monoxide by depleting the oxygen content in a closed environment.