Surguja: A heart-wrenching tragedy unfolded in Barima village, under the jurisdiction of Mainpat police station in Chhattisgarh’s Surguja district, when a devastating fire erupted in a residence during the night between Saturday and Sunday, claiming the lives of three slumbering children.

The incident occurred at roughly 2 a.m., as per police accounts. The inferno ignited in a room where two sisters and their brother lay asleep. Meanwhile, their mother, Sudhani Bai, had stepped out to visit her fourth child at a neighboring abode.

The blaze swiftly engulfed the room, leaving the children with no avenue for escape. Upon hearing the youngsters’ cries, villagers hastened to the scene and managed to quell the flames, but the damage was already irreparable, and the three children perished.

A somber atmosphere settled over the village as the children’s mother was inconsolable, shattered by the loss. The young victims ranged in age from 6 to 9 years. Devdhan Manjhi, the father, labors in a different state, leaving his wife to raise their children in his absence.

Following the calamity, a police team from Mainpat police station promptly arrived at the location. Authorities are yet to pinpoint the root cause of the fire, with investigations currently underway to uncover its origin.