Police suspect that the fire was lit to ward off the morning cold at the sugar factory.
What you should know
Four industries, a hotel and a shop were gutted in a fire that broke out in Chainpur, the headquarters of Bajhang district, on Friday morning. The fire has caused damage worth around Rs 18.1 million.
According to the District Police, Bajhang, the fire has caused the most damage to the Kishor Khadka Sirak Dasna Industry. Clothes, property and industrial machinery worth Rs 15.66 million in his industry have been burnt.
Similarly, the fire that broke out in the Sirak Industry has caused damage worth Rs 1.5 million to the nearby Hiradevi Kathayat shop, Rs 5 million to Menuka Khatri's hotel and Rs 5 million to Chiran Pariyar's shop, informed Police Chief Khagendra Dhamala.
Although the cause of the fire is not clear, the police suspect that the Sirak Industry was set on fire to ward off the morning cold. 'It is suspected that the fire spread from a fire lit for heating,' said DSP Dhamala, 'Due to the increasing cold, the risk of fire has increased due to the indiscriminate lighting of fires in the morning and leaving them there.' He said that people should be aware as fires can occur accidentally when heating with heaters or fire.
After the fire broke out at around 9:30 am, a team of locals, army and police brought the fire under control after about an hour. Nearby huts were removed to prevent the fire from spreading. Locals have alleged that the fire brigade did not arrive even half an hour after the fire broke out, which caused more damage. ‘If the fire brigade had arrived on time, the fire would have been easily controlled.’ Local Shailendra Rokaya said, ‘When the fire brigade arrived after the fire was controlled, there was a lot of damage.’
In previous fire incidents in the district headquarters, Chainpur, locals have complained that the fire was not controlled in time because the fire brigade did not arrive immediately.’
‘The municipality had promised to keep the fire brigade on standby 24 hours a day during the previous fire.’ But that promise remained. "There has been so much damage today," said Narendra Khadka, general secretary of the Bajhang Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "After the fire, they go to fill the water. After the fire is destroyed, they go to the scene. This is the height of negligence."
