[ Karda Natam ]
NAHARLAGUN/DAPO-RIJO, Nov 27: At least 73 families were rendered homeless after their dwellings were reduced to ashes in two separate fire incidents that broke out at Naharlagun (Papum Pare) and Daporijo (Upper Subansiri) on Tuesday.
The fire in Daporijo, which broke out at Abotani Colony around 6.30 pm, gutted 40 houses, rendering 50 families homeless.
There was, however, no report of any casualty. A person is reported to have suffered burn injury in the fire.
The cause of the fire is not yet known.
The public there have alleged late arrival of the fire tender(s). They said the extent of the damages could have been reduced had the firefighters responded quickly.
The officers and officials of the district administration, including the SP, rushed to the spot to avert law and order problems following the incident.
Paramilitary forces, including CRPF and firefighters, were engaged in the rescue operation.
The properties lost or damaged will be ascertained after proper assessment.
Labourer barracks destroyed
In Naharlagun, all 15 rented units of a labourer barracks located near Little Rose School in C Sector were gutted on Tuesday morning at around 11:30, affecting 23 families.
Along with the rent houses, two RCC rooms of the owner of the rent houses, Tami Tayok, who lived adjacent to the rent houses, were also partially damaged in the fire.
Firemen arrived on time and doused the flames before they could spread to the adjoining houses in the area.
According to the Naharlagun police station OC, the fire reportedly started from the SPT kitchen of the house-owner, which had been built near the rent houses. The actual cause of the fire, however, is yet to be ascertained.
The police have initiated an investigation to unearth the actual cause.
The capital district administration distributed relief materials like blankets, mattresses and utensils to the affected families as immediate relief.
MLA Techi Kaso and Capital Complex Deputy Commissioner Prince Dhawan handed over the relief materials in the presence of a team of officers including Naharlagun CO Neelam Teji, DDMO Moromi Dodum Sonam and FO Jogam A Gusar.
State BJP vice-president Tame Phassang also visited the affected families, and extended out-of-pocket monetary support to the families as immediate relief.
Expressing grief over the incident, Phassang appealed to the people to be more cautious to avert such unfortunate incidents. (With DIPRO input)
