Devastating fire incident in Darjeeling

Darjeeling: The devastating fire broke out in Mani Printing Press, near Ava Art Gellery, Bara Kakjhora, which engulfed four houses, two maruti vans and bikes, however, no report of any casualty. All four houses were totally destroyed and 13 families residing in those buildings lost their belongings. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

 

The fire was first spotted in a Mani printing press at around 1:30 am by one of tenant in the building and immediately called the fire station. But fire tenders reportedly got stuck near Ava Art Gallery, 500m from the spot, due to narrow lane caused by the illegal encroachers. As a result, three buildings, located on the other side of the road, were completely destroyed by fire and only a few things could be saved.

The fire personnel, civil defence personnel, local volunteers managed to control the situation only after four hours of valiant fight. Following the incident, members of Kosheli Sangh, Barakakjhora, took out a rally in Darjeeling town to protest against the civic body of allowing illegal constructions in town. The protesters blamed to “corrupt people” for the present situation in the town. They demanded that the house of Mr. S N Pradhan, which made it difficult for the fire tenders to reach the spot, be immediately destroyed. They also alleged that the civic body was not equipped to fight the fire.

After the incident, the entire shops of Darjeeling town remained closed for the whole day. Vehicles also stayed off the roads.

The municipality, which had 113 fire hydrants during the 50s and 60s, has only eight of them working currently. Hydrants are used to put out fires where the fire engines cannot reach. The areas inaccessible to fire tenders are 60 percent of the total residential areas of the Darjeeling town, the inaccessible areas are: Bhutia busty, Tungsung, Chandmari, Haridashatta, Rajbari, Lower Singamari, Dhobi Talao, Lower Kakjhora etc.