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16 houses gutted in fire in remote Malana village of Himachal
Villagers struggled to control the blaze that spread fast on windy night; Kullu authorities send relief
At least 16 houses were destroyed and three partially damaged when a fire broke out in the remote village of Malana in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh late on Tuesday.
Village pradhan Raju Ram said one person was injured while putting out the blaze, which started in an old wooden structure and spread fast to adjoining houses due to windy conditions.
Soon after the Kullu district administration was informed, a team of firefighters was rushed to the village that lacks road connectivity.
“Villagers struggled to control the fire. It took us hours but we managed by early in the morning,” said Roop Lal, a resident of Dharaberh in Malana panchayat.
“The fire has been brought under control,” said State Disaster Management Authority director Sudesh Mokta. Kullu deputy commissioner Ashutosh Garg said firefighters left from Kullu around 1.30am, but since the village was inaccessible by the road, firefighting equipment was sent to the village through ropeway and firefighting teams trekked for an hour to reach the village at midnight.
“Water for dousing the fire was brought from local perennial sources, but the fire spread from one wooden structure to another due to the wind,” said sub-divisional magistrate Vikas Shukla and superintendent of police Gurudev Sharma. Teams have been sent to the village with relief material for the affected families.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
At least half of Malana village, including the temple of the presiding deity, Jamdagni Rishi or Jamlu Devta, was reduced to ashes in a fire in January 2008
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, chief minister Jai Ram Thakur and BJP national president Jagat Parkash Nadda also expressed grief over the fire tragedy.
