Five huts destroyed in fire, 8 kids rescued in Kangra district

Nurpur, February 16

Five huts of migrant labourers were burnt to ashes near the Shah Nehar barrage at Sthana gram panchayat of Fatehpur subdivision in Kangra district last evening. However, no loss of life or injury to anyone has been reported.

The labourers hailing from Bihar, who had raised these structures as temporary dwellings, work in the surrounding areas. They were away when their huts caught fire. However, their children were in the huts and they raised the alarm. On hearing their loud cries, former gram panchayat pradhan Pawan Kalia along with locals rushed to the village and rescued eight children from the huts on fire. A fire engine was summoned from Talwara but the huts were destroyed before it arrived. The household items in the huts were burnt completely. The victims are taking shelter in nearby houses.

Ramesh Kalia, a local social activist, said that the administration had given no relief to the fire victims, who are very poor. He said that only two of the seven huts of the migrant workers were saved. The administration should extend some financial assistance to the victims for the loss of their shelters. The SDM, Fatehpur, was not available for comments as his mobile phone was switched off.