Four members of a family were charred to death in a fire in an illegal cracker unit in their hut at Kanthi in East Midnapore district.

Police said the fire broke out late last night engulfing the hut at Kudberia village killing the house owner, his wife and son and daughter. The hut was gutted.

A neighbour, who was working with them, was injured in the fire, which damaged a nearby hut too.

Police said many illegal cracker units had sprung up at Kanthi ahead of Kali Puja and Diwali and raids were on to close them.