Itanagar, Nov 12: Four members of a family, including three minors, were killed when a fire swept through Parsi-Parlo township in Kurung Kumey district in the early hours of Thursday, damaging 24 houses and leaving several families homeless.
The fire broke out around 2 am. Of the 24 houses affected, 19 were completely gutted, while five sustained partial damage, according to preliminary information provided by the District Disaster Management Officer (DDMO), Kurung Kumey.
The deceased were identified as Dongda Yanu, an adult woman, and her three children — Dongda Karsang, Dongda Maji and Dongda Amji. Her husband, Dongda Taji, sustained critical injuries in the incident and was the only surviving member of the family.
Fire and Emergency Services personnel from Parsi-Parlo, local police, trained community volunteers and residents joined the rescue and firefighting operations, which were halted at around 5.30 am.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu expressed deep sorrow over the incident, saying the loss of lives and reports of missing family members had made the tragedy particularly heartbreaking. He conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for strength and courage for all those affected.
Khandu also appreciated the efforts of the local administration, police, fire services, emergency responders, volunteers and residents in responding to the tragedy. He urged the concerned authorities to ensure all necessary assistance to the affected families.
Meanwhile, the district administration is preparing a relief camp and arranging relief materials for those displaced by the fire.
The cause of the fire and the extent of the overall property loss are yet to be ascertained, sources said.