E-Paper
Over 40 houses gutted in Shimla village fire, no casualties reported
Exact cause yet to be ascertained; no casualty reported; four dozen families rendered homeless.
Over 40 houses were gutted in a fire that broke out in Khashaini village of Shimla district in the wee hours of Wednesday, rendering around four dozen families homeless.
The blaze, suspected to have started in a wooden house, gradually engulfed adjoining houses, majority of which were also made of wood.
Around 3 am, after information reached the local police post, a fire tender was rushed from Rohru but it could not work to its full capacity as its pipe was damaged. Fire fighters faced water scarcity and villagers had to connect a pipeline from a source that was 5 kilometre from the spot.
“We also heard blasts that could be LPG cylinders. Eventually, cylinders and other essential things were removed from adjoining houses,” said Anil Sharma, resident of a neighbouring village.
SDM Ghanshyam Sharma said fire tenders were also rushed from Kotkhai and the fire was contained by daybreak. “We are making a list of the affected families,” he said adding the exact cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained.
Deputy commissioner Amit Kashyap and SP Omapati Jamwal also reached the spot.
Some of the affected families have been moved to a community centre and some to other houses in the same village.
He said no loss of life has been reported in this incident. People from neighbouring villages of Thana, Shikhal, Khangta, Daroti, Gujandali and Sharontha also rushed to spot and helped in the firefighting operation.
