Fire destroys 25 houses at Shanigakunta in Mulugu district
The fire started after a heap of dry grass kept in the front yard of a house got ignited when food was being cooked
MULUGU: An accidental fire at Shanigakunta village in Mangapet mandal of Mulugu district late on Thursday night reduced to ashes 25 houses while partially damaging 15 of them. No humans have been injured.
Assistant sub-inspector Taher Baba said the fire started after a heap of dry grass kept in the front yard of a house got ignited when food was being cooked. Because of the strong breeze, fire spread to 40 of the total 130 houses in the village, most of them belonging to tribal people. A few gas cylinders kept in the houses too burst, adding to the fire.
People ran out of their houses to save themselves. On receiving information from locals, police and fire brigade officials rushed to the village with two fire engines. Even as fire brigade people were fighting the fire, it started raining heavily. The fire thus came under control, but not before 25 houses were completely burnt and 15 of them partially.
Villagers said they have suffered damage worth several lakhs of rupees.
Villagers whose houses were completely burnt took shelter in the neighbouring village with help extended by gram panchayat officials.
Mulugu MLA Seethakka of Congress visited Shanigakunta village on Friday morning and distributed daily essentials, utensils and bed sheets. Panchayat raj minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao assured villagers who lost their houses that government will rehabilitate them as early as possible.