BALURGHAT: A tragic fire accident claimed the lives of a mother and her son in Ward No 13 of Buniadpur Municipality under Bansihari Police Station in South Dinajpur district on Sunday afternoon.
The deceased, Putul Mondal (55) and her son Biplab Mondal (35), suffered fatal burns when a gas cylinder caught fire as Biplab lit the stove to cook meat he had bought. Putul rushed to save him, but both died on the spot.
Though the cylinder did not explode, the fire spread, damaging the kitchen and household belongings.
Residents doused the flames using a submersible pump. Bansihari police recovered the bodies, sent for post-mortem at Balurghat District Hospital.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer Shubhotosh Sarkar said: “Preliminary investigation suggests a gas leakage caused the fire.
We are examining the incident and appropriate action will follow.”