A family was left homeless after a rented house was completely gutted in a fire, suspected to have been caused by a short circuit, at Bastora. Fortunately, no casualties were reported as the occupants were away at work and the children had already left for school when the fire broke out.
According to the house owner, Digambar, he noticed smoke emerging from the rented room and immediately attempted to extinguish the flames using a water pipe. However, the fire spread rapidly and could not be controlled. The Fire and Emergency Services were alerted, but by the time firefighters reached the spot, the house and all its contents had been reduced to ashes.
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The fire destroyed electronic appliances, cupboards, cooking utensils, school books, clothes, electrical equipment, important documents and cash amounting to over Rs 80,000, leaving the family with nothing.
Speaking to the media, the woman residing in the rented house said the incident has left her family devastated.
“After my children left for school, I went to work and my husband also left for his job. While I was at work, I was informed that our house was on fire. I rushed back immediately, but by then the entire room was engulfed in flames and there was nothing I could do. I don’t know what to do now. My children are still at school and they have no idea that our home has been destroyed. My husband and I are now searching for another room to stay,” she said.
House owner Digambar said he tried his best to control the blaze before calling the fire brigade.
“I saw smoke coming out of the rented room and immediately tried to extinguish the fire with a water pipe. But the flames spread very quickly and became too intense to control. We then called the Fire and Emergency Services, who managed to put out the fire, but by then everything had been destroyed. The family has lost almost everything they owned. We have informed the panchayat and appealed for assistance to help the affected family. Thankfully, no one was inside the house as the children had gone to school and their parents were at work,” he said.
Bastora Ex Panchayat member Ranjit Usgaonkar expressed concern over the family’s plight and assured them of support.
“It is very sad to see the family in such a situation. They have lost all their belongings, including cash and important documents, and have been left completely homeless. While the exact cause of the fire is yet to be officially confirmed, the panchayat will do its best to assist the family on humanitarian grounds,” Usgaonkar said.
The exact cause of the fire will be confirmed after the Fire and Emergency Services complete their investigation.
