Five members of a family, including three children, were charred to death when a fire a broke out at Naharbari area of Nagaland’s Dimapur district, an official said on Monday.

The incident occurred around 10:45 pm on Sunday, when the blaze ripped through rows of thatched houses inhabited by people from a non-Naga community, he said.

Bursting of firecrackers during Diwali celebrations is likely to have triggered the blaze, the Fire & Emergency Services official said.

Around 50 families have been affected due to the fire, he said, adding, six fire tenders managed to put out the flames after nearly two hours.

The official, however, said the exact cause of the fire will be known after an investigation is carried out.

The bodies of the deceased have been handed over to police.

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