In a devastating fire that broke out in a Dalit colony in Muzaffarpur&rsquo;s Rampur Mani village under the Bariyarpur police station area, five people&mdash;including four children&mdash;lost their lives, and over 50 houses were completely gutted on Wednesday. 
The fire, suspected to have been caused by a short circuit, rapidly engulfed the entire settlement due to strong winds, causing widespread panic and chaos.
According to officials, the fire reportedly started in the home of one Golak Paswan and quickly spread through the densely packed slum. Locals said one of the locals Raju Paswan&rsquo;s three kids&mdash;aged 12, 9, and 8&mdash;were among the deceased. The fourth child who died is also said to be from the same extended family.
District Magistrate Subrata Kumar Sen, confirming the tragic loss, stated: &ldquo;This is a deeply saddening incident. Four children from the same family have died. After the legal formalities are completed, the bodies will be sent for post-mortem. The Disaster Management Department will provide ₹4 lakh compensation to the families of the deceased. Food and temporary arrangements are being made for those who have lost their homes.&rdquo;
Eyewitness accounts describe a horrific scene. Local resident Shivprasad Paswan said that an electrical wire had snapped and fallen onto one of the homes, possibly igniting the blaze.
&ldquo;Most people were out in the fields harvesting wheat. The fire spread rapidly before anyone could react. Multiple gas cylinders exploded, and the flames became uncontrollable. We tried using water to douse the flames, but it was of no use.&rdquo;
The situation worsened due to strong winds and a delayed firefighting response. Initially, only two small fire engines arrived, one of which had a malfunctioning nozzle. Eventually, seven fire engines and 25 personnel were deployed, bringing the situation under control.
Fire Officer Triloki Nath Jha said: &ldquo;We received information and immediately responded with multiple teams. During firefighting operations, a gas cylinder explosion further intensified the fire. Four children have been confirmed dead.&rdquo;
Sharing an emotional account of the tragedy, Gajju Paswan, another local and eyewitness, said: &ldquo;The fire broke out in Ramveeran Paswan&rsquo;s house. Most villagers were in the fields. The children who died were playing inside their homes. One of them was my sister&rsquo;s daughter, and two were my nephews. It all happened too fast.&rdquo;
As per the latest updates, more than 15 children are reportedly missing, and frantic searches are ongoing. The bodies recovered have been sent to Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) for post-mortem. The entire village remains in mourning as families grieve their unimaginable loss.
Meanwhile, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan expressed condolences over the incident. Taking to social media, he posted: &ldquo;Deeply saddened by the tragic fire in the Mahadalit colony of Rampur Mani village, which claimed the lives of five people including several innocent children. More than 15 children are reported missing and over 50 homes destroyed. My heartfelt prayers for the victims.&rdquo;
Authorities have launched a full-scale investigation into the cause of the fire and are working to provide relief and rehabilitation for the affected families.
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Burning debris of a home struck by the fire

Four children burnt alive; high-voltage wire fell on one of the homes

Muzaffarpur Fire Tragedy Claims 5 Lives, 50 Houses

Four children burnt alive; high-voltage wire fell on one of the homes

April 16, 2025 | 19:15 IST