Daijiworld Media Network - Jharkhand

Jharkhand, Mar 17: A devastating fire swept through a house in Geetilipi village, under the Jaganathpur police station area of West Singhbhum district in Jharkhand, on Monday morning, resulting in the tragic deaths of four children.

The blaze erupted around 11 a.m. while the children were playing inside a room filled with straw. With no adults present at the time, the fire spread rapidly, engulfing the entire structure before any rescue efforts could be made. The exact cause of the fire remains unknown, and authorities have launched an investigation.

A local resident, Birang Gagarai, who was nearby fetching water, was the first to notice the fire. She rushed to help upon seeing the children trapped inside but was unable to reach them due to the raging flames. Despite her desperate attempts to douse the fire, the intensity of the blaze made rescue efforts impossible.

Hearing her cries for help, other villagers gathered, but by then, thick smoke and flames had taken over the house. The fire brigade arrived nearly an hour later and managed to extinguish the fire.

The victims were identified as Prince Chatar (5), son of Arjun Chatar; Sahil Sinku (5), son of Chandramohan Sinku; Rohit Sundi (2), son of Sukhram Sundi; and Bhumika Sundi (5). Their charred remains have yet to be recovered.

Local officials, including Sub-Divisional Officer Mahendra Chotan Oraon, Police Inspector Basudev Munda, Block Development Officer Satyam Kumar, Circle Officer Manoj Kumar Mishra, and Jaganathpur Police Station In-Charge Sanjay Singh, have reached the site to oversee relief operations.

The tragedy has plunged the village into mourning, with grief-stricken families struggling to come to terms with the loss. "We tried everything to save them, but the fire was too fierce," said a devastated villager.

Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances leading to the fire.