20130411 Nepal 14 houses reduced to ashes in Langadi
Nepal Apr 11 2013 “Apartment houses” “Houses”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 1 to 29 Injured : injured 0 or unknown
14 houses reduced to ashes in Langadi
Updated: 2013-04-13-10:50
HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE
LANGDI (PARSA): Shamashuddhin Dewan, 62, of Bhakhari Tole, Langadi VDC, was busy harvesting wheat on his field when he heard that his village had caught fire.
He ran to his village only to find out that his hut along with 13 other houses had been reduced to ashes.
A fire that had started from the kitchen of a local house in the Bhakhari Tole yesterday had swept through the entire settlement reducing 14 houses, mostly thatched, into ashes.
Some residents of the settlement managed to salvage a few of their belongings, but not Shamashuddhin. He had lost not only food, clothes and other properties to the fire, but also his saving of a life time amounting to Rs 2.5 lakh. He had received that amount after retiring from the nearby Garuda Sugar Mill, where he worked. A bread-earner for a family of 14 members, he is despondent.
He and his family are currently taking shelter at a local school. Others, however, are less fortunate for they have to spend their nights in the open. The fire victims have tents, beaten rice, utensils and some money provided by the local administration and the local Red Cross by way of relief. Still, hope of finding their belongings remains, as even a day after the disaster they continue to scour for what remains in the hope they may succeed in salvaging something.
Authorities say the reason behind the recent spate of fire incidents is negligence on the part of the households. Most of the fires were triggered from stoves or cowsheds where fires are ignited to chase away mosquitoes. Besides, the thatched houses are built in a congested manner.
Nepal Red Cross Society Parsa member Salauddhin Ahamad advised people to be cautious about safety. “After cooking food, they have to make sure the fire in the oven is extinguished completely,” he said, stressing awareness among the people.
Websouce:The Himalayan times
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=14+houses+reduced+to+ashes+in+Langadi&NewsID=372731
Date:2013-04-13
Country:Nepal