The injured persons at VSS Medical College and Hospital in Burla on Monday. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, May 21: Electrocution led to the death of four persons and left five injured at Kumelsingha village in the Attabira police station area of Bargarh district today. The incident happened after a transformer caught fire and exploded. All the victims belonged to one family.

The deceased have been identified as Manjulata Bhoi, 40, Shadev Bhoi, 7, Banmali Bhoi, 16, and Arjun Bhoi, 11. The injured are Purnima Bhoi, 65, Shanti Bhoi, 28, Alekh Bhoi, 5, Anusuya Bhoi, 30 and Dasrath Bhoi, 34.

Dasrath, who has sustained burn injuries, said: “The incident took place late at night. We heard a loud sound. When my family members tried to open the iron door of our house to go outside and see what had happened, they got electrocuted. My son died in the accident.”

Sources said: “The 11KV wire, which was running over the transformer near Dasrath’s house, snapped and fell on it. As a result, high-voltage electricity passed through the iron gate.”

One of the villagers said: “We had asked officials of the Western Electricity Supply Company to replace the old wires. However, the villagers’ concern remained unheard. Had the officials replaced the wire earlier, the accident could have been averted.”

Executive engineer of the electricity company in Bargarh Debadatta Bhoi said: “The disc insulator of the 16KV transformer burst, and as a result, the 11KV conductor got snapped. The wire did not fall on the roof of the house. We are yet to know how high-voltage electricity passed through the iron door. The reason behind the accident could be ascertained after probe.”

The executive engineer said: “The villagers had not given any written complaint to the authority.” Panic ran high in the village because of the accident and the villagers had demanded Rs 5 lakh compensation for the family.

Inspector in charge of Attabira police station Tarajasmine Guria said: “The bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem. The injured have been sent to VSS Medical College and Hospital in Burla. A case has been registered in this connection.”

“The sub-divisional officer of the Western Electricity Supply Company gave Rs 30,000 as compensation to the family. The block development officer and the Attabira tehsildar also announced compensation of Rs 30,000 to the family from the Red Cross fund,” she said.