Koksara: Three children, aged between four to five years, Saturday suffered severe burn injuries while playing near a farmyard where the haystack reportedly caught fire accidentally.
The incident took place at Bajimara village of Mahima panchayat under Koksara block in Kalahandi district.
The children were immediately rushed to the Koksara primary health centre and from there shifted to the district headquarters hospital for better treatment. The children are said to have suffered 90 per cent burn injuries.
According to family sources, Rozi and Dezy, twin daughters of Hemraj Dishari of Bajimara village and Rachana Rout of Kuchinda village, who had come to her uncle’s house at Bajimara village, were playing near the farmyard. Oblivious to a fire that had broken out due to some reasons, and was spreading quickly towards them, they were busy playing.
A short while later, they found themselves engulfed by the flames. Noting smoke emanating from the spot and hearing the screams of the children, family members and neighbours rushed to their rescue but by that time they had suffered from severe burns.
A pall of gloom descended the village as news of the incident came to fore.
PNN