National
85 houses destroyed in fire
At least 85 homes were destroyed in a fire that broke out at the Batar settlement in Barahachhetra Municipality Ward No 11 in Sunsari on Saturday night.Pradeep Menyangbo
At least 85 homes were destroyed in a fire that broke out at the Batar settlement in Barahachhetra Municipality Ward No 11 in Sunsari on Saturday night.
One villager, who sustained serious burn injuries in the incident, was taken to Biratnagar for treatment, police said. Some children were also hurt.
Police said the fire had broken out at a house at around 8:30pm, possibly due to a short circuit, before spreading throughout the settlement.
Kedar Bista, ward chairman of Barahachhetra-11,said the fire left 235 people homeless. Property worth more than Rs 18 million was destroyed in the disaster.
It took nearly five hours for four fire engines, security personnel and local residents
to put out the fire, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Narayan Prasad Chimoriya.
According to Mayor Nilam Khanal, the municipality distributed blankets and
foodstuffs while the District Natural Disaster Management Committee provided Rs5,000 each to the displaced families as emergency cash relief on Sunday.
The Nepal Red Cross Society and other social organisations also reached the incident site and distributed relief materials to the fire victims.
Minister for Internal Affairs, Law and Home Hikmat Karki and Minister for Industry, Tourism and Environment Jagadish Kusiyay of Province 1 inspected the site on Sunday and assured to help the fire victims to rebuild their homes.