LARKANA, May 22: Nine members of a family were overcome by smoke and died when their house was gutted by a fire caused by an electrical short circuit. The tragic incident took place in Larkana’s Khatan Bazaar locality on Tuesday.

The victims were identified as Moti Ram (42), his wife Nirmalla (40), five daughters -- Anjlee (12), Pirya (13), Artee (15), Pooja (18), and Muskan (7).

An official said it appeared that the family had attempted to escape the locked room, but all died after inhaling the smoke.

The curtains in the room were also burnt and signs of burn injuries were also visible on the bodies of the victims, he said.

A mobile phone connected to a charger was also found atop a television set.

Neighbours said that when a milkman rang the doorbell repeatedly early in the morning, he got no response from the house.

The milkman alerted the neighbours, among whom was an uncle of Moti Ram, the head of the family.

When Mr Anoop, the uncle, entered the house, he found the entire family dead. Within moments, Edhi ambulances, police, the district coordination officer and a taluka nazim arrived at the scene.

Mr Ram had been running a spare parts shop. All his children were students.

The district council of Larkana suspended its session after hearing about the tragedy.