ITAHARI, March 26: Sixteen people trapped in a blaze at Center Plaza, five of them women, were rescued by a joint team of Nepal Army and the Armed Police Force. The Plaza is a supermarket in the eastern town of Itahari, Sunsari.
Sunsari's Chief District Officer Dharmendra Mishra confirmed the joint operation successfully evacuated all 16 people inside the building after the fire suddenly broke out. The Nepali Army and Armed Police Force used ropes to carry out the rescue.
Fire in Itahari brought under control after six hrs
Officials suspect more people might still be inside.
Firefighters from Itahari, Duhabi, Ramdhuni, and Sundarharaicha, along with teams from the Nepali Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police, are battling the blaze that ignited at 9:30 AM on the fifth floor, triggering gas cylinder explosions.
Since the fire started in the middle section of the building, rescuers are evacuating people from the upper floors using ropes to pull out those trapped inside, while some remain trapped inside, according to the police.
To expedite the rescue operation and bring the fire under control, the Ministry of Home Affairs has deployed a Nepali Army helicopter to the site.