Salem : Five members of a family were charred to death after fire broke out in their house near Kuranguchavadi in Salem in the early hours of Friday.

All the members were in deep sleep, when the fire broke out, the reason for which was yet to be ascertained, police said.

The dead have been identified as Karthik, his wife Maheshwari, their two sons Sarvesh and Mukesh and Karthik’s sister Pushpa, they said.

Anbalagan, Karthik’s brother is admitted to the Government Hospital in Salem with serious burn injuries.

Police suspect that electric short circuit could be the reason for the fire and further investigations on.