Dang, Feb 11: Five people have died due to suffocation after a house caught fire in Tulsipur last night. Those killed in the incident are 14-year-old Sajita Khatun, 14-year-old Hasan Bakas, 16-year-old Masin Bakas, 40-year-old Nardin Ali and six-year-old Abid Din Ali of Tulsipur Sub-metropolitan City-5, the Area Police Office Tulsipur said.    

A fire broke out at 2 am today at a footwear godown at Tulsipur-5 'Nga' Line. Although people were rescued immediately after the fire broke out, five persons died of asphyxiation since the inferno went out of control. The dead bodies of the victims were retrieved around 7.30 this morning after the fire subsided. The fire broke out at Iram Footwear Godown.    

Among the victims, three were retrieved from the third floor and two from the fourth floor of the house. Police said the fire started after the electricity meter exploded. The fire started from the first floor and the victims could not be rescued as they had been sleeping on the second and third floor while the fire took unmanageable proportions.    

Nepal Police, Nepali Army and the Armed Police Force as well as locals, people's representatives were involved in the rescue since the night. But the five victims could not be saved since the inferno could not be contained.