130404 Nepal 99 houses destroyed in Tarai fires
Nepal Apr 04 2013 “Forest”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : more than 70 Injured : injured 1 to 9
99 houses destroyed in Tarai fires
Updated: 2013-04-04-22:54
RAJBIRAJ/SIRAHA: As many as 99 houses were reduced to ashes in separate fire incidents in Saptari, Siraha, Sunsari and Hetauda districts today.
Property worth Rs 5 million was destroyed in Saptari’s Bakdhuwa after a fire that started from the kitchen of Budhai Yadhav spread to 25 other houses.
Two houses were pulled down to prevent the fire from spreading, said locals. Food items, utensils, and clothes were destroyed in the inferno. According to one local Ramup Sada, two cattle were charred to death in the incident.
Fire brigade with the help of the Nepali Army, Nepal Police and locals later brought the fire under control. In Siraha, 20 houses were destroyed in a major fire at Simara village and Fukalkaha village of Fulkahakatti VDC today. Property worth Rs 5 million was destroyed in the blaze, said police.
Three persons, who have sustained burn injuries in the incident, are being treated at Bhumija Hospital, Golbazaar. The fire was put out with the efforts of Nepali Army, Nepal Police, locals and a fire engine. Fire could not be brought under control quickly due to strong winds, locals said. A fire victim, Pandab Mandal, said his house had caught fire when staff from the Lahan Electricity Authority and the Armed Police Force were disconnecting a hook from the electricity pole used for power theft near his house.
According to another victim, Kamal Mandal, NEA authorities and APF fled the village instead of helping them to extinguish the fire.
Siraha CDO Dhurba Prasad Dhakal said they could not get the fire engine from Rajbiraj on time as it was busy to douse the fire in Saptari. Elsewhere, property worth Rs 4 million was destroyed when fire engulfed 44 houses belonging to 11 families at Shreepur VDC in Sunsari.
The fire that started from Mohammad Rafi’s house could not be brought under control on time due to the strong wind, an eyewitness said. A fire engine from Itahari Municipality finally doused the blaze after 44 houses were destroyed.
In Hetauda, 10 houses were reduced to ashes in a fire at Raigaun VDC in Makawanpur. The fire spread from a nearby forest. Bhimsen Bishwokarma lost property worth Rs 3.25 lakhs in the fire. Property worth Rs 2.95 lakhs of another villager, Jaku Rai, was destroyed, said District Police Office, Makawanpur.
Websource:The Himalayan Times
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=99+houses+destroyed+in+Tarai+fires&NewsID=371678
Date:13-04-04
Country:Nepal