DHADING, Nepal – Four members of a family have died in a fire that started at around 12:45 am in Charaundi of Dhusa-1 of the district on Monday.

The fire started due to a short-circuit. The victims were asleep when the fire broke out at the house belonging to local politician Kishor Chandra Thapaliya.

On Saturday, he had hosted the wedding of his younger brother Pawan Thapaliya at the house. The fire broke out the next day, after the wedding reception had concluded, and the Thapaliya family members had gone to sleep.

Thapaliya’s daughter and son-in-law had stayed behind after the other guests had left. Along with Kishor Chandra Thapaliya, his daughter Yojna Thapaliya GC, son-in-law Anil GC and granddaughter Rosette GC perished in the blaze.

“We could not get the people in the house outside. That is why we had this tragedy,” said Milan Silwal, a local.

All of the casualties died in the room they were sleeping in. Thapaliya’s elderly parents, who were sleeping in another room, his wife and mentally challenged son, who were in another floor of the house, and his brother and sister-in-law, who lived next door, all are safe.

Thapaliya’s wife Karna Kumari has sustained injuries and has been taken to the hospital.

According to Area Police Office, Gajuri the house was destroyed by the fire.

Beside the loss of lives, the police office estimates property worth over five million rupees has been destroyed. Locals and police had united to control the fire.

The rescue efforts were made more difficult because the fire had broken out during the night. The occurrence of the tragedy right after the joyous event of a wedding has left the Thapaliya family grief-stricken.

Thapaliya was chairman of UCPN (Maoist), Dhusa and member of the District Advisory Committee.