A cylinder blast on Tuesday night claimed the lives of five family members including three children in Kakori near Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow. Four other family members reportedly sustained injuries due to the blast. The deceased have been identified as a 50-year-old Zardosi craftsman Munsheer Ali, his wife Husna Bano, and three children including Munsheer's nieces Huma, Ruiya, and 2-year-old Heeba.
As per reports, the explosion was so powerful that the entire wall of the room was blown away and the nearby houses were also damaged. The sound of the explosion was also reportedly heard at a distance.
The police rushed to the spot upon receiving information about the blast after which a relief and rescue operation was undertaken.
Mangesh Kumar, Chief Fire Officer of Lucknow was among the first ones to arrive at the scene. While talking about the blast, the officer stated: "Upon arriving at the site, we encountered a scene of utter devastation, with flames engulfing the surroundings."
"Despite the challeges, our teams worked tirelessly to contain the fire and mitigate further damage," TOI quoted Kumar saying.
The four people who have suffered injuries were sent to the Trauma Centre in Lucknow where they are currently undergoing treatment. Their condition however remains critical as of now.
The reason for the blast and the circumstances under which it happened are yet unknown. The police have recorded the Panchnama of the deceased and the bodies have been sent for post-mortem.
The police are investigating the matter and efforts to ascertain the cause of the accident are currently underway.