Diwali night fires in MP's Katni, Seoni kill 12 across 2 families; Congress demands accountability
Synopsis
On a night meant for celebration, two families in Madhya Pradesh lost six members each to separate fires in Katni and Seoni — 12 dead in all, including a two-month-old infant. Congress leaders are demanding accountability, pointing to what they call a delayed fire brigade response. The administration disputes that charge, but the SDRF arrived hours after the blaze began.
Key Takeaways
12 people from two families were killed in separate fire incidents in Katni and Seoni districts of Madhya Pradesh on Diwali night .
Victims include elderly persons, women, children, and a two-month-old infant ; the youngest adult was Aditya Soni, 16 .
Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha and LoP Umang Singhar questioned administrative response and alleged fire brigade delays.
Katni Collector Ashish Tiwari said the fire brigade arrived by 12.45 a.m. , 15 minutes after the alert; SDRF reached only around 5 a.m.
Four injured family members, including two minors, are hospitalised following the Chhapara, Seoni incident.
The administration has promised financial assistance to the bereaved families.
Separate fire incidents in Madhya Pradesh's Katni and Seoni districts on Diwali night claimed the lives of 12 members across two families, including a two-month-old infant, elderly persons, women, and children. Congress leaders have demanded accountability from the state administration, with Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha questioning the alleged delay in the arrival of fire brigade units.
The Katni Tragedy: Six of the Agrawal Family Perish
A fire broke out around midnight on Diwali night in a three-storey building in Barhi town, Katni, where the ground floor housed a crockery shop. Six members of the Agrawal family were killed, while two others managed to escape. According to Katni Collector Ashish Tiwari, the administration received information about the fire at around 12.30 a.m., and the first fire brigade vehicle reached the spot by 12.45 a.m.
A request for additional fire tenders reached the control room around 1.30 a.m., with local residents also joining firefighting efforts. The blaze reportedly spread rapidly due to highly inflammable material stored on the ground floor. Rescuers later broke through walls to reach those trapped inside, with an SDRF team arriving only around 5 a.m.
The six deceased were identified as Puran Agrawal (77), his wife Chandrakala (74), daughter-in-law Poonam, Arya (14), Anvi (6), and a two-month-old infant. Tiwari stated that the administration has pledged full support, including financial assistance, to the surviving family members.
The Seoni Tragedy: Six of the Soni Family Dead, Four Injured
In the second incident, a fire broke out at around 3 a.m. on Monday at the three-storey residence of goldsmith Kundan Lal Soni in Mahavir Ward, Chhapara town, Seoni district. Six members of the family were killed and four others, including two minors, were injured and hospitalised.
The deceased were identified as Kundan Lal Soni (75), Rajkumari Soni (65), Ritu Soni (42), Smriti Soni (40), Surya Soni (45), and Aditya Soni (16). The four surviving family members who were rescued are currently receiving medical treatment.
Congress Raises Questions Over Administrative Response
Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha posted his condemnation on X, stating: 'At a time when the entire nation was celebrating the festival of lights, the happiness of these two families was shattered forever. The delayed arrival of the fire brigade has raised serious questions regarding the administrative system.'
Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Umang Singhar, also expressed grief, referring to 13 deaths across three incidents — in Barhi (Katni), Chhapara (Seoni), and Ujjain. 'The news of the untimely deaths of 13 people in tragic fire incidents in Barhi (Katni), Chhapara (Seoni), and Ujjain is deeply saddening and heart-wrenching,' Singhar said, paying tributes to the victims.
Administrative Stand and What Comes Next
Collector Tiwari defended the response time, maintaining that the fire brigade arrived within 15 minutes of receiving information and that additional resources were mobilised as the blaze spread. He confirmed that the administration would provide financial assistance to the affected families. Notably, Diwali night fire tragedies — often linked to firecrackers, stored inflammables, and strained emergency services — have recurred across Indian cities for years, raising persistent questions about urban fire safety preparedness.
The incidents are likely to intensify scrutiny on the state government's emergency response infrastructure, particularly in smaller towns where fire brigade capacity and response times remain limited.
Point of View
Regardless of when the first tender got there, points to a systemic gap in surge capacity. Congress is right to raise accountability questions, but those questions must go beyond one night's response time to the deeper issues of building safety compliance, storage regulations for inflammables, and fire station coverage ratios in Tier-3 towns — none of which have received serious political attention.
NationPress
9 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Katni and Seoni fires on Diwali night?
Two separate fires broke out on Diwali night — one at a three-storey building housing a crockery shop in Barhi, Katni, and another at a goldsmith's residence in Chhapara, Seoni. Each fire killed six members of the respective families, bringing the total death toll to 12, including a two-month-old infant.
Who were the victims of the Katni fire?
The six victims in Katni were Puran Agrawal (77), his wife Chandrakala (74), daughter-in-law Poonam, Arya (14), Anvi (6), and a two-month-old infant. Two other family members survived by escaping the building.
Why did Congress raise questions about the fire brigade response?
Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha alleged that the delayed arrival of the fire brigade raised serious questions about the administrative system. The SDRF team reached the Katni site only around 5 a.m., several hours after the fire broke out at midnight, though the administration says the first fire tender arrived within 15 minutes of the alert.
What did the Katni administration say about their response?
Katni Collector Ashish Tiwari said the administration received information about the fire around 12.30 a.m. and the first fire brigade vehicle arrived by 12.45 a.m. He added that additional tenders were called in, local residents assisted with firefighting, and the administration would provide full financial support to the affected family.
How many people were injured in the Seoni fire?
Four family members, including two minors, were rescued from the Chhapara, Seoni fire and are currently admitted to hospital. Six other members of the Soni family were killed in the blaze.
