Daijiworld Media Network - Bihar

Bihar, Dec 27: At least four members of a family, including three children, died of suffocation in Bihar’s Saran district after a fire was lit inside a closed room to keep warm, police said on Saturday.

The tragic incident occurred in the early hours of the morning in the Bhagwan Bazar area, where two other family members were found unconscious, a senior police officer said. They were immediately shifted to the nearest hospital, where they are undergoing treatment.

While the identities of the deceased are yet to be formally confirmed, preliminary investigations suggest that the victims are members of the family of a Uttar Pradesh government official, police said.

Saran Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kumar Ashish, who visited the spot, said the deaths were caused by a lack of oxygen due to the fire being lit in a closed room.

“Four people, including three children, died due to suffocation. Two others were found unconscious and have been hospitalised. An investigation is underway,” the SSP told reporters.

Forensic experts have been roped in to assist the investigation, and officials said the incident is being probed from all possible angles.

Police have cautioned people against lighting fires in enclosed spaces during winter, warning that such practices can prove fatal.