Belagavi: Four members of a family were killed and two others critically injured after a refrigerator reportedly exploded and triggered a fire at their house in Chavat Galli, near the Central Bus Stand in Belagavi, in the early hours of Tuesday, September 15.
The incident occurred between 2.15 am and 2.30 am in an area under the jurisdiction of the Market Police Station. The force of the explosion shattered the shed-like house, which did not have concrete walls, and the fire rapidly spread through the premises, trapping the six occupants inside.
The family members were sleeping close to the refrigerator when a loud explosion occurred less than an hour later. Neighbours initially mistook the sound for firecrackers being burst as part of the festival celebrations.
The explosion immediately sparked a fire that spread through the house, leaving the occupants with little opportunity to escape. On realising what had happened, neighbours rushed to the burning structure and managed to pull two members of the family out.
Four occupants were charred to death on the spot. The two people rescued from the house suffered severe burn injuries, estimated at around 60%, and were rushed to a private hospital. Their condition was reported to be critical.
The family came from a working-class background. The head of the household worked as a carpenter, while other family members worked as house helps, commercial workers or daily labourers.
The blast caused extensive damage to the residence. The shed-like structure was shattered by the force of the explosion, while kitchen utensils and other household belongings and valuables were either scattered around the premises or completely burnt in the subsequent fire.
Preliminary police findings point to an electrical short circuit as a possible cause of the incident. Investigators suspect that a short circuit in the refrigerator may have caused its compressor or unit to explode. Authorities are also examining whether the electrical fault could have originated from decorative festive lighting.
The Market Police Station has registered a case and initiated a technical investigation to establish the exact cause of the explosion.
Following the incident, the Chairman of the Belagavi Urban Development Authority (BUDA) and the local MLA visited the site and inspected the damage. They promised financial assistance and rehabilitation support from the state government for the surviving members of the family.
