Disabled girl dies after fire breaks out in home

A 21-year-old disabled woman died after a fire broke out at her home in Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur district, officials said on Tuesday.

The incident took place in Manjhedwan village of the district, when the woman, who belonged from a poverty line family, was alone at her home while her mother had gone to bring grass, they said.

The girl was warming herself near the stove when her clothes accidently caught fire. In an attempt to escape, she ran towards the bed, which also caught fire, Panchayat Pradhan Pankaj Chandel said.

Upon hearing the noise, the neighbours ran to extinguish the fire and took the girl out of the room, Chandel said.

The girl was taken Ghumarwin Hospital by locals, from where she was referred to AIIMS, Bilapur and then to IGMC Shimla. She died during treatment at Indira Gandhi Medical College & Hospital (IGMC), the officials said.

Ghumarwin police have registered a case and further investigation into the matter is underway, they added.