Seven people belonging to a family died in a fire while they were asleep in Purulia distinct of West Bengal on the wee hours of Friday.

The deceased included two women and four children.

According to district police officials, the incident took place in Para area of Purulia.

They also said that the affected family used to earn their living by extracting and selling palm juice. 

“Prima facie it seems that the fire broke out from a lamp and soon engulfed the makeshift shelter they were sleeping in. However, the exact reason behind the fire can only be determined after forensic tests are conducted,” a police official said.

There were four other persons in the makeshift shelter when the fire broke out.

However, they managed to escape.

“These four persons sustained burn injuries while trying to save others,” the official said. The bodies have been sent for a post-mortem examination.