Four of a family charred to death, 2 critically injured in fridge blast in K’taka’s Belagavi house

Belagavi: At least four people were burnt alive, and two others suffered severe injuries after a fire broke out following an alleged refrigerator blast caused by an electrical short circuit at a house in the Chauhan Galli area of Karnataka’s Belagavi city in the early hours of Tuesday.

According to police, the incident occurred after the family had celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi at home on Monday and gone to sleep. The preliminary investigation suggests that an electrical short circuit triggered the fire late at night. The refrigerator allegedly exploded shortly after the fire broke out, and the flames quickly engulfed the entire house.

The deceased have been identified as 65-year-old Gajanan Dhamone, 21-year-old Roshan Dhamone, 45-year-old Sharada Dhamone and 45-year-old Bharati Dhamone.

Priya Dhamone, 28, and Ganga Dhamone, 25, who sustained severe burn injuries, are undergoing treatment at a private hospital. Police said both suffered burns covering around 70 to 80 per cent of their bodies, and their condition remains critical.

The family was living in a shed-like structure, where the victims were sleeping together when the fire broke out. The intensity of the blaze was such that the refrigerator was reduced to what police described as the size of a small box, while household articles were completely destroyed in the fire.

The incident has shocked the local community, with residents expressing disbelief over the tragedy that occurred shortly after the family had celebrated the festival. The Dhamone family worked as labourers.

Belagavi Police Commissioner visited the spot and inspected the scene. The jurisdictional market police have taken up a detailed investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the fire and the circumstances leading to the refrigerator blast.

On May 9, one person died, and four others were critically injured in a fire tragedy in the Nagarbhavi locality in Bengaluru. The blaze suspected to be triggered by a short circuit inside the hotel. The fire spread rapidly and soon engulfed the staff rooms located on the upper floor. As fire broke out suddenly during night, the five staff members sleeping on upper floors were unable to escape and got trapped inside.

In 2025, a devastating early-morning fire at a bar-cum-restaurant in the Kumbaara Sangha building resulted in five deaths due to suffocation, leading to the arrest of the building owners for severe safety and ventilation violations.

IANS