Fire guts 16 houses

Inruwa, Apr. 1: At least 16 houses of nine families were gutted by a massive fire in Shreepur Jabdi of Koshi Rural Municipality in Sunsari district on Sunday. 

Houses of Sadhu Lal Mahatman, Devkishun Mahatman, Sanjaya Mahatman, Umesh Banebar, Ramkishun Mahatman, Jagadish Mahatman, Narayan Badbadiya, Krishnalal Banebar and Puran Mahatman of Koshi ward No. 6 turned to ashes in the fire. 

Sadhu is a ward member. 

The fire was caused by a thresher machine while Jagadish was processing wheat at his home.

Thresher owner Manoj Jha (Lalu) received minor injuries in the incident. 

However, there was no human or livestock loss in the fire, said Manoj Khadga, in-charge of the Shreepur Police Post. 

Locals said that property worth Rs. 10 million was damaged in the fire. The fire was contained by three fire-trucks from Inaruwa, Itahari and Birpur, India and with the joint effort of the locals, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force. 

Of the damaged 16 houses, eight had roofs of corrugated iron sheets and eight were thatch-roofed.

Ward chairman Indra Dev Yadav said that food had been distributed to the victims. 

Published in The Rising Nepal Daily on 3 April 2018.