One 8-year old child and his father were died of suffocation, while two others of the family suffered burnt injuries when a major fire broke out in a garments shop at Chandori market area in Giridih district here on  Thursday around 1 am, police sources said. In a devastating fire that broke out under the town police station, goods of estimated worth of Rs40 lakh rupees had been gutted.

Sources said that an electrical short circuit is suspected to be the cause behind the tragedy that had begun from a Virat collection at ground floor and spread over to the third floor within half an hour. Although one 8-year-old child identified as Tanmaya Gupta and his father  namely Sandeep Gupta, died of suffocation in side the building .

The damage cause by the fire was yet to be ascertained, but if the statements of the local shopkeepers are to be believed, property worth over  45 lakhs has been damaged in the fire.

A shopkeeper said the fire was noticed first by a local people, who raised an alarm awakening the people who were sleeping in front of their respective shops.

The sight was horrifying as the flames flashed across the sky .As the news spread people in the surrounding areas swung into action and started dousing the fire by poring water on the burning shop .The intensity of the fire was so high that before they could realize anything ,the fire engulfed shop rapidly said local an eyewitness.

Rajeev Kumar ,an officer-in charge of town police station said the fire broke out at 12;30 am and was brought under control by 3am .Panic prevailed across the areas the police arrived .it took about three hours for the fire brigades to douse the flames completely ,but two casualty were reported as the incident took place ,Kumar said .

local MlA Nirbhay Kumar sahabadi, Dinesh Yadav and others local leaders were rushed to the spot and have demanded and also approaching the district administration to seek financial compensation for rehabilitation.