At least 40 thatched hutments housing migrant workers’ families in the Lalsingi area of Una city were gutted in a fire this afternoon.
Most of the migrants were out working during the rabi harvesting season when the fire broke out and spread quickly through the neighbourhood.
The incident occurred at about 12 noon, and it took about one and a half hours to douse the flames. The fire department was informed immediately by locals. Damage was also caused to some standing civil structures belonging to local residents.
DSP (Headquarters) Ajay Thakur, who was among the first responders, said locals assisted the firefighters in dousing the flames. The Revenue Department, under the command of the Una tehsildar, was deputed to assess the damage.
Rajwati, a victim, said all her belongings had been lost in the fire, while another migrant worker, Gita, said nobody was aware of where or how the fire broke out. The children who were left behind are safe, she said, adding that some of their neighbours called them to inform them about the incident.
Amid the chaos, some residents managed to salvage some of their belongings, while others were not so lucky. The Revenue Department is assessing the loss, while fire department officials confirmed that four fire tenders were used to fight the blaze. The cause of the incident is also being assessed.
Una is already in the grip of an intense heat wave, with afternoon temperatures soaring to about 40˚C. Every year, several fire incidents occur in temporary migrant workers’ colonies.
The district administration has repeatedly directed local landlords to construct ‘pucca’ houses with toilets for the workers, since they are paying rent for the dwellings. While some landlords have complied with the directions, others have yet to abide by the norms.
