Key Points

CM Yogi termed the incident "heartbreaking" and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured in the accident. He also offered his condolences to the victims of the incident.

"The loss of lives in the unfortunate accident in Ayodhya is extremely heartbreaking. My condolences are with the bereaved families. I pray to Lord Shri Ram that he grants eternal peace to the departed souls, strength to the grieving families to bear this immense sorrow, and a speedy recovery to the injured," CM Yogi wrote on 'X'.

Earlier on Thursday, an explosion that caused a house to collapse in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya, killing five people, including three children, officials said.

A probe into the incident is underway. The incident occurred in a village under the Purakalandar police station area.

Ayodhya District Magistrate Nikhil Tikaram Funde said preliminary findings suggested that the blast, which caused the house to collapse, was likely triggered by a gas cylinder or a pressure cooker.

"...We received information about an explosion and the collapse of a house's roof at around 7:15 pm. Local police and first responders immediately arrived at the spot and began clearing the debris and evacuating the victims. After the debris was removed, a total of five people were taken to the district hospital. All five were declared dead on arrival," DM Funde told ANI.

He added that no trace of gunpowder or firecrackers had been found at the site.

"The site has been cleared of all debris and searched. Prima facie, it appears to be a cylinder or cooker blast, as both have been found at the location. No trace of gunpowder or firecrackers has been found at the spot," he said.

Ayodhya Superintendent of Police Gaurav Grover said the house, located in the Pura Kalandar area and belonging to one Pappu Gupta, collapsed following the explosion.

- ANI