Himachal CM, Dy CM mourn demise of children engulfed in fire

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri expressed grief over the death of four children, who succumbed to their injuries after getting engulfed in a massive fire at Bane Di Hatti in Amb Sub Division of Una district during the midnight hours of Wednesday.
"The Government stands by the family in this hour of sorrow and directions have been issued to the district administration to provide immediate relief to the families of victims", said Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. In his condolence message, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri prayed for the peace of the departed souls and expressed deep sympathies with the bereaved family members.
A fierce fire broke out in the slum of the Gagret sub-division of the Una district in Himachal Pradesh which allegedly killed four minors during the midnight hours of Wednesday.
As per the information, four minors included three Bihar-based siblings living in a temporary shelter at the "Bane di Hatti" slum-- Neetu Kumari (14), Bholu Kumar (7), and Shivam (6) of the Behra district in Bihar's Darbhanga and Sonu Kumar (17) of the Pauri Dakhram District in Darbhanga lost their lives. Meanwhile, cash Rs 30,000 of the family also turned into ashes after their temporary shelter in the slum caught fire.
The fire brigade and a team of police personnel reached the spot in time to control the fire, but could not save lives.
"A fierce fire broke out in the slum residence of Bihar-based Bhadeshwar Das and Ramesh Das on the midnight hours of Wednesday and Thursday around 12 am, in which two teenagers and two children lost their lives," Station House Officer (SHO) Ashish Pathaniya said.
On the incident, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed grief and instructed the administration to provide every possible assistance to the family.
"Very sad. I am saddened by the news of four children aged 6 to 17 being burnt alive in a fire incident near "Bane Di Hatti" of Amb in the Una district. I pray to God to give peace to the souls of the deceased and strength to the family members to bear this loss. Om Shanti," CM Sukhu tweeted.
Meanwhile, the state's Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri also consoled the incident and prayed for strength to the bereaved family of the deceased.
"The news of four children being burnt alive due to the fire in "Bane Di Hatti" of Una Gagret assembly constituency is harrowing and sad. May God grant peace to the departed soul and strength to the family members to bear the loss. The district administration has been ordered to provide all possible assistance to the bereaved families," Agnihotri said in his tweet. (ANI)