Tripura: Four people died and three were injured when a brick kiln chimney collapsed in Kamalpur

Agartala: Four people died after a fire broke out in the chimney of a brick kiln in Kamalpur, Dhalai district of Tripura, causing the chimney to collapse, officials said on Wednesday.
Three people died on the spot, while the fourth succumbed to his injuries at the Dhalai District Hospital.
The deceased have been identified as Subal Debnath (55), Pinku Shil (37), Anil Gautam (49), and Sajal Malakar (40). Their bodies will be handed over to their families after the completion of medical formalities.
Chief Minister Manik Saha expressed grief over the tragic incident on social media and offered his condolences to the bereaved families, wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.
According to the police, three people were seriously injured. Kamalpur SDPO S. Debbarma said, “Of the injured, doctors have stated that one patient is in critical condition, while the other two are responding to treatment and are expected to be discharged in a few days.”
When asked about the cause of the incident, Debbarma said, “Nobody knows how the incident happened. We were immediately fully engaged in rescue operations. A police complaint is being registered, and an investigation will be conducted to ascertain the main reason behind the collapse.”
Local sources said that with the onset of winter, brick kilns across the state have started operations. Since Tripura experiences rainfall throughout the year except for the three to four months of winter, most brick kilns primarily operate during this dry season. The ABC Brick Industry in Kamalpur had recently resumed operations.
Some sources alleged that the incident might have been caused by the accumulation of methane inside the chimney during its period of inactivity.
However, the police have not yet issued any official statement on the matter.