New Delhi: A massive fire caused huge devastation in the Kurung Kume district of Arunachal Pradesh in the early hours of Thursday. Four members of a family died in a fire in Parsi-Parlo town near the India-China border, while at least 24 houses were gutted. The dead include a woman and her three minor children. The woman’s husband is still missing. In such a situation, the death toll is expected to increase. The fire spread so fast that people did not even get a chance to take out their belongings from their homes.
How did the fire start and how long did it take for the flames to spread?
According to preliminary information, the fire broke out around 2:30 am on Thursday. At that time most of the people were sleeping in their homes. Within no time the fire engulfed the surrounding houses. According to the District Disaster Management Officer, 19 houses were completely burnt to ashes, while five other houses were partially damaged.
The cause of the fire has not been known yet. Initial reports suggest that the fire may have started from the kitchen. However, its official confirmation can be done only after investigation.
Why were there problems in relief and rescue operations?
This accident has also exposed the lack of firefighting facilities in Parsi-Parlo. The town does not have its own fire station. According to the information, even the fire tender deployed in Koloriang, about 38 kilometres away, could not reach the spot on time. This made it difficult to control the fire and preventing the flames from spreading to nearby houses became a challenge.
A team of officials from district headquarters in Koloriang reached the spot in the morning and started monitoring the relief and rescue operations. The administration is assessing the loss caused to the affected families.
What reaction did the chief minister give?
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has expressed deep grief over the deaths in the accident. He appealed to the administration to provide immediate assistance to the affected families. At the same time, Jamru Ruja, president of All Nyishi Youth Association, has expressed condolences to the families of the victims and announced running a donation campaign to help.
The incident has raised questions over the availability of emergency services in remote areas. In border areas like Parsi-Parlo, there is a possibility of increased loss in the accident due to lack of local fire station and timely arrival of a firefighting system.
