India, March 31 -- Five members of a family, including four women and a four-year-old boy, were killed after a fire engulfed their house in Surat's Limbayat area due to suspected short circuit, officials said.

The victims were engaged in saree packaging work from their residence, where large quantities of the stock was stored. According to Balram Meena, additional commissioner of police of Sector-1, the family received sarees and packaging material from an outside vendor and carried out the work inside their home.

The material stacked inside the cramped house fuelled the fire, which spread rapidly through the congested space.

"The house was filled with sarees and packaging material. It was congested with very little room to escape. The...