Fire: A 65-year-old woman and her 35-year-old son from Chubja village in Gogona chiwog in Wangdue were killed after the one-storey house they were living in was completely destroyed by a fire in the early hours of April 4.

The village located in Gangtey gewog is around 76km away from Bajo town. The accident is suspected to have occurred before 5am. When the chiwog’s tshogpa informed authorities it was already 5:52am, according to the Bajo police.

Gantey gup Dophu said it was at around 5:50am, when a boy from a neighbouring house saw the house on fire and shouted for help. While locals managed to put out the fire, the two occupants could not be saved.

Dophu said there are only three people in the family, the two victims and a daughter of the 65-year old, who lives in Thimphu. The daughter was immediately informed and reached the village the same day.

On investigation, police found that the son was sleeping in a corner of the altar room and seems to have fallen asleep when the fire occurred. The body of the mother was found near the entrance of the house.

Wangdue police said that they did not find any sign of foul play and at this initial stage are ruling it as an unfortunate fire accident. However, the cause of the fire is yet to be determined. Two gas-cylinders exploded during the fire.

Police were told by local villagers that everyone in the village is related to each other and that the mother was a friendly person and loved by all. There are around seven houses in the village including the house that was razed.

Meanwhile, the Wangdue dzongdag and the Kidu officer who visited the site provided His Majesty’s semso of Nu 30,000, two disaster relief kits and two tarpaulin sheets to the victim’s family.

A disaster focal person and officials from Royal Insurance Corporation of Bhutan in Wangdue also visited the site to carry out damage assessment.

Dawa Gyelmo, Wangdue

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