Kelzang Wanggchuk | Samdrupjongkhar

The shop owners in Tshenkarla, Trashiyangtse, lost grocery items and belongings worth Nu 6.5 million (M) when fire gutted their shops on the evening of July 25.

There were no casualties reported.

Khamdang Gup Tashi Wangchuk said the fire that started from a shop razed the shops to the ground while rescue team, comprising of gewog officials, students and teachers of Tshenkharla Central School, de-suups, police, forest officials and locals helped to contain the fire from spreading to another shop.

He said the shops were not insured.

According to the gup, a shopowner lost more than Nu 300,000 which was kept in the shop as it was Bhutan National Bank’s agent.  “The fire is suspected of having started due to the electric short circuit.”

He said the fire started at 4:30pm and they managed to contain the fire at 8:30pm after the gewog administration connected the pipes to the irrigation canal. “Fire brigade vehicle and the team from Trashiyangtse also reached the site.”

Gup Tashi Wangchuk said that he had requested police officials to keep the fire brigade vehicle at Doksum during such incidents, but the officials told him to write an application to them.

He said the dzongkhag kidu office provided emergency kits such as blankets, tarpaulin, kitchen utensils and Nu 10,000 each to the victims, while Tshenkharla CS and gewog officials also provided rations and other emergency kits.

“The victims are staying in my house . A victim is staying with relatives,” Gup Tashi Wangchuk said.