ITAHARI, April 28: A massive fire tore through the Ghana Bazaar at Paruhang intersection in Itahari sub metropolitan city – 4 of Sunsari district destroying four houses and inflicting a loss of around Rs 10 million last night.
The locals blame the high loss to delay in the arrival of fire engines. The fire broke out from an electric short circuit in a shop at around midnight. 11 gas cylinders exploded in the process which aggravated the already deteriorating scenario.
The locals had called a fire engine stationed just 500 metres from the incident but it did not arrive in time. Fire engines from Inaruwa municipality located 18 km took time to reach the incident site causing such large-scale loss, local resident Padam Adhiakri said.
The fire ripped through the shops and residences of Padam Adhikari, Bal Kumar Rai, Bideshi Kumar Shrestha and Man Kumari Rai. Refrigerators, clothes, food commodities and crockery among other materials were destroyed in the fire.
The fire also caused partial damages to two four-story buildings belonging to Laldhan Rai and Mohan Singh Tamang located in the east and west. Laldhan alone incurred a loss of Rs 400,000.
Adhikari incurred the highest loss in the flame estimated at Rs 4.5 million. Adhikari has blamed the nearby fire engines of not heeding to their call for help.
The blaze was finally taken under control by the fire engines dispatched form Inaruwa and Itahari, local residents and the police force. The arrival of the fire engines, albeit late, helped tamed the fire and prevented it from spreading and causing more damages. RSS
Massive fire in Itahari, losses incurred may tip 70 million
