Fatehpur, Sept. 29: The death toll from the collapse of a two-storey house in Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehpur district has risen to five after one of the injured victims succumbed to his injuries, officials said on Tuesday.
The incident occurred on Monday evening in the Malwan police station area, where a powerful explosion at the house of a fruit trader caused a major portion of the building to collapse.
Four people were initially killed in the incident, while three others were rescued from the debris and rushed to Fatehpur Medical College for treatment.
One of the injured victims, who had suffered burns over more than 90 per cent of his body and was reportedly on ventilator support, later died during treatment.
The deceased have been identified as Kunal, Alok, Arpit, Ved and Yash, aged between six and 25 years.
Rescue Operation Launched After Blast
Police received information about the incident through the Police Response Vehicle (PRV) at around 5:30 pm on Monday.
Local police teams immediately reached the area. However, the narrow lane leading to the damaged house made it difficult for a fire tender to access the spot.
A rescue operation was subsequently carried out using a JCB machine to remove the debris.
Around 16 personnel from the police and fire departments, along with local residents, joined the search operation and worked to locate people trapped beneath the rubble.
Seven people were eventually pulled out of the collapsed structure and taken to the medical college. Doctors later declared four of them dead, while the remaining injured victims were admitted for treatment.
Gas Cylinder Blast Suspected
Fatehpur Superintendent of Police Abhimanyu Manglik said preliminary inquiries indicated that a gas cylinder could have triggered the explosion.
Police reportedly recovered four gas cylinders from the site, two of which are believed to have exploded.
However, officials have not yet confirmed the exact cause of the blast.
Forensic experts and Fire Department teams are examining the site and collecting evidence to determine what led to the explosion and subsequent collapse.
Nearby Houses Also Damaged
The blast caused the upper two floors of the main house to collapse, while parts of neighbouring structures were also affected.
Beams of some nearby houses reportedly suffered damage, although no casualties were reported from those buildings.
Police and administrative officials continue to remain at the site as the investigation into the incident proceeds.
Authorities are now focusing on determining the exact sequence of events leading to the explosion and whether any safety lapses contributed to the tragedy.
