Barabanki (UP), Apr 22 (UNI) A woman and her two children were charred to death, whereas her husband and another child were injured after a domestic gas cylinder caught fire and exploded in Masauli area of Barabanki district in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, police sources said here.

Police said that Rajmal Vishwakarma (38), a resident of Pure Jabar village, lives with his wife Pinky (35) and his three children Shivani (4), two and a half years old Omkar and eight-month-old Deepali.

On Tuesday evening at around 5:30 pm, Pinky was cooking food inside the house on a small gas cylinder.

"She was carrying eight-month-old Deepali in her lap, while Shivani was playing with her brother Omkar nearby. Meanwhile, a fire broke out due to a gas leak in the cylinder. Pinky, who was caught in the fire, started screaming," they said.

Police further said that after hearing the noise, Rajmal ran inside and attempted to save his wife and children but in the meantime the cylinder exploded, in which the roof collapsed.

"Pinky, Deepali and Shivani died in the incident. Rajmal and Omkar also sustained serious burn injuries," they said.

Police said that the villagers reached the spot and started trying to extinguish the fire.

"After a lot of effort by the villagers and the fire brigade the fire was extinguished and the charred bodies of the woman and her two children were found," they said.

Police said that Omkar and Rajmal were taken to the district hospital, from where the doctors referred them to Lucknow.

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