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Bhanu P Lohumi
Tribune News Service
Shimla, May 22
The house of former deputy mayor Durga Singh at Cheog village near Theog, 30 km from here, was gutted last evening.
A short-circuit is stated to be the reason behind the fire which engulfed the entire house within minutes. Raging flames could be seen from far-off places. Fire tenders were rushed from Theog and Shimla, but the property could not be saved. No loss of life was reported. Those staying in the house came out well in time, the police said.
Firefighters and locals took several hours to stop the fire from spreading to adjoining houses.
Durga Singh, who is constructing another house in the vicinity, came to know about the fire after labourers noticed the smoke.
“It was difficult to enter the house. Thankfully, there was nobody in the house. Cows too were saved in time,” Durga said.
The ancestral house made of huge logs was heavily timbered. The fire brigade managed to douse the flames, but it may take a day or two to completely extinguish the fire.
The three-storey building with 14 rooms and a cowshed was reduced to ashes and nothing could be saved. The loss has been estimated at over Rs 50 to Rs 60 lakh. Durga said the cost of wood would run into lakhs of rupees. He said the only belonging which was saved was the clothes he was wearing and his slippers.
The belongings, household goods, electronic equipment, jewellery worth Rs 4 lakh and cash amounting over Rs 1.5 lakh were burnt. Durga said it appeared that the short-circuit led to the fire, which spread fast due to high temperature and strong winds.
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