HAILAKANDI, Dec 3 (PTI): Five people, including two children, were killed and 12 others were critically injured in a fire that broke out in a brick kiln in Assam’s Cachar district, police said on Saturday.
The incident took place in the Katigorah area when the Imam of a local mosque was conducting a religious function on the brick kiln premises on Friday night, a police officer said.
According to the workers, the incident occurred during a ritual of the first fire of the year at the brick kiln. After performing rituals, when the labourers set the coal on fire, the chimney suddenly exploded, they said.
Three persons, including the Imam and two minors, died on the spot, while two others succumbed to their injuries while being taken to the hospital.
The injured were initially taken to a nearby hospital and later shifted to the Silchar Medical College and Hospital in critical condition, the police official added.
The rescue operations continued till late at night on Friday, officials of Cachar district administration said.
“In the brick kiln, they design the coal in such a manner that it burns for a long time but the fire brigade continuously worked to douse the fire. We rescued almost everyone stuck inside. Some of them were critically injured,” circle officer Minerva Devi said.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained and further investigation is underway.
According to sources, the owner of the brick kiln and the staffers are yet to be traced.
