PONDA: In a heart-wrenching incident, four migrant families were left homeless after the massive fire at R K Scrapyard engulfed their rented premises in Dhavlim, by the side of the National Highway. The fire quickly spread to the rented rooms of the four families, leaving around twenty people homeless, including young children.

“We were cooking our meal when we suddenly saw smoke coming from the scrapyard. Within a few minutes, our rooms were also on fire, and we have lost everything,” one of the affected family members shared, still in shock from the ordeal.

The families, who are all daily-wage laborers, lost all their household goods and belongings in the blaze. They are now left with nowhere to go and are appealing to the government and local authorities for assistance.

“We have nothing left, and we have nowhere to go. We appeal to the government and the local bodies to help us on humanitarian grounds and reconstruct our rooms,” another family member said. However, according to sources in the Panchayat, the rented rooms in which the families were residing were illegal, and constructed without permission from the local body. “The rented rooms in which the families were staying were constructed without panchayat permission by the local landowner, sources said.