Three people, including an eight-year-old boy, were killed after a major fire broke out in the old bus stand area of the Arki market in Himachal’s Solan district early on Monday, police said.
Two injured are currently stable at Arki civil hospital, they added.
The blaze broke out around 2.45am in a four-storey building near UCO bank. According to police, the building, constructed of wood and mud, was being used for commercial as well as residential purposes. The ground and first floors were used as shops, while the third and fourth floors were occupied by migrant families from Bihar and Nepal.
Due to the intensity of fire, the entire structure collapsed and was completely gutted. The fire spread rapidly through the aging timber structure, gutting several shops and trapping occupants.
The victim, identified as Priyansh, belonged to a migrant family of Bihar, residing in the complex. “One male child aged about 8 years, belonging to a Bihar-origin family, was rescued in injured condition and later succumbed to injuries in hospital. During rescue and debris clearing operations two dead bodies have been recovered. Post-mortem examination is being conducted,” Solan police said in a statement.
While the identification of the recovered bodies was in progress, seven Nepalese-origin persons are still untraced and are suspected to be trapped under the debris.
Solan superintendent of police Gaurav Singh said that fire tenders were mobilised from various places. “The fire has been brought under control. Rescue and search operations are continuing on war footing. Debris is being shifted with the help of two JCB machines to facilitate systematic search. The NDRF team will join the rescue operation on Tuesday. Post-mortem and forensic examinations are in progress,” he said.
The fire tenders were mobilised from Solan, Nalagarh, Banlag, Arki, the Ambuja Cement Company, and Boileauganj in Shimla. SDRF teams were deployed for the rescue and search operations. Home Guards teams from Solan and Kotli were also engaged in rescue and firefighting efforts.
Police officials said that a FSL team visited the spot and collected samples from the scene of occurrence. The cause of fire is not known so far and will be determined after receipt of FSL and fire department reports.
Meanwhile, an FIR under section 287 BNS has been registered at Arki police station.
Solan deputy commissioner Man Mohan Sharma has ordered an inquiry into the cause of the fire and announced immediate financial aid for the bereaved family.
CM Sukhu expresses grief
Meanwhile, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has expressed grief over the fire incident. CM Sukhu directed that immediate help be given to the family of the deceased and has ordered the district administration to investigate the incident.
Local MLA Sanjay Awasthi visited the scene to coordinate relief efforts, urging the administration to expedite compensation and support for affected shopkeepers.
85-yr-old burnt to death on Mandi
Meanwhile, in Kushla village of Ghidi Gram Panchayat in the Sundernagar subdivision, an 85-year-old woman, Himi Devi, was burnt to death after a fire broke out in her kitchen while she was asleep inside. Locals managed to control the fire, but by the time they reached her, it was too late.
