Itanagar, April 22 (PTI): More than 50 houses and commercial establishments were reduced to ashes and property worth crores of rupees was destroyed after a devastating fire broke out at Yingkiong, the headquarters of Upper Siang district in Arunachal Pradesh.
Arunachal Pradesh Health and Family Welfare Minister Alo Libang, who represents Tuting-Yingkiong assembly constituency informed that the massive fire broke out in upper market area of Yingkiong around 2.30 pm Thursday that reduced 54 houses and shops to ashes.
Though there was no report of human casualties, however, three persons sustained minor burn injuries, the minister said.
"Fire tenders rushed to the spot, took time to contain the intensified inferno. Properties worth around INR 4 crore have been damaged as being assessed by the district administration," Libang said.
"Many shopkeepers lost their all merchandise, while the fire mishap affected about 120 to 175 people. Though the Deputy Commissioner gave immediate relief, the state government will grant relief on receipt of loss assessment report," he said.
The minister on Friday rushed to Yingkiong to assess the situation.
The victim families were shifted to boys' hotel of government higher secondary school, Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya and girls' residential school, Libang said, adding that the cause of the fire was yet to be known and under investigation.
Yingkiong Market Welfare Committee (YMWC) secretary Taram Libang informed that several shops have suffered heavy damage.
The fire tenders could not reach on time and the fire was doused by united efforts of local people, traders, Army and BRO personnel, he added.