Fire damages property worth Rs 50 lakh in HP

Shimla, Nov 3 (UNI) Five houses were gutted in a devastating fire that broke out in a village in Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh but no loss of life was reported in the incident, police sources today said.

Twenty eight rooms in five houses were gutted within minutes after a fire broke out in Dophadha village of Shimla district yesterday, causing loss of over Rs 50 lakh.

The sources said fire officials battled for over four hours and prevented THE FIRE from spreading to other houses. The fire tenders were rushed to the site from Rampur and other adjoining areas.

Leakage from LGP cylinder in one of the houses gutted in the incident was suspected to be cause of the fire, the sources said.

Rampur SDM D K Rattan has announced an immediate relief of Rs one lakh to the families rendered homeless in the incident.

He said the district administration was also making alternate housing arrangements for the families rendered homeless in the incident, besides providing blankets, tents and other essential items.

A case has been registered and investigations are on, Mr Rattan said.

UNI AS HS PR ND1816