19 families affected

A fire razed 14 temporary sheds to the ground leaving 19 families homeless in Tsenkari, in Nganglam, Pemagatshel early yesterday morning. A Bolero pick-up and an Alto car parked in front of the shops were also destroyed by the fire.

An infant and an elderly man suffered minor burns. They were discharged from hospital after treatment. There were no casualties.

The fire is suspected to have broken out after an electric short circuit at around 2:30am.

Army and police personnel, Desuups, shopkeepers, and volunteers from the Dungsam Cement Corporation Ltd and nearby villages managed to control the fire in about two hours.

Fifteen students from the households could not go to school yesterday as most of their belongings were destroyed by the fire. The Nganglam dungpa, Karma Jurme, said that the children will resume their classes today. “They will be admitted as boarders in the Nganglam Central School and we’ll buy them their uniforms and other necessary items,” he said.

The dungkhag administration served meals to victims of the fire yesterday. RBA personnel built temporary sheds out of tarpaulin and corrugated iron sheets with the help of volunteers near the razed town.

The dungkhag disaster office distributed emergency kits, consisting of basic household items, to all the victims.

This is the second fire incident in the area. The first one occurred a few kilometres away at Kangziri.

Tshering Palden

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