Nine members of two families from Takura, ward 2 of Siddha Kumakh Rural Municipality in Salyan, died in a fire and a cooking gas cylinder explosion in Arki, Solan district, Himachal Pradesh, India.

The incident occurred on Sunday night while the families were asleep. Relatives identified the deceased as 33-year-old Dhan Bahadur BK; his wife, 32-year-old Kavita BK; daughters Radha and Renuka BK; son Rajan BK, 47-year-old Kashiram BK, 32-year-old Tika BK, 12-year-old Anu BK, and 7-year-old Kiran BK.

According to relative Prem BK, the families lived in a room above a shop, and the explosion destroyed the bodies, making identification difficult. Four other family members, including Rajendra and Gangaram BK, were sleeping nearby and escaped unharmed.

Authorities from Solan district are collecting the bodies, a process made challenging by the explosion. Prem BK said the families had gone to Himachal Pradesh for work about two and a half years ago due to financial difficulties.

Ward chairman Mekh Bahadur Budhathoki said the ward is in mourning and has decided to declare a day of mourning on Tuesday. He added that weak economic conditions continue to force residents to seek work abroad, often putting them at risk of accidents, floods, landslides, or fires.

Discussions are ongoing on whether the bodies will be cremated there or brought home.