As many as five labourers were killed as a result of a fire that broke out in their boat at Rampur Diyara ghat in Bihar’s Patna on Saturday.

Bihar police said, “It is being said there was a cylinder explosion, but that's not the case. They were cooking near few diesel canisters, so a fire broke out. They are yet to be identified.”

According to reports, the blast took place somewhere in the middle of the lake as they were allegedly transporting sand illegally on the boat from one end of the lake to another. The fire broke out as they were cooking on the boat.

he Maner Police Station officer, Maner Block Development officer (BDO) and fire fighting officer reached the spot as soon as they received information of the incident.

Vikash Kumar, the officer-in-charge of the fire fighting department also said that there were 20 labourers on the boat and the sand is currently being unloaded at the site.

Meanwhile, the identities of the deceased in the incident were not immediately identified. Further details regarding the incident are awaited.