Rayagada: As many as 16 families were rendered homeless while properties worth over Rs20 lakh reduced to ashes after a fire broke out in Sanalubadi, a small village of Dangalodi panchayat under Sadar block Tuesday evening.
In a matter of a few minutes, the fire swept through the houses and the victims couldn’t save anything except the clothes they had wearing, a report said. The properties destroyed in the inferno included harvested crops, cash, ornaments, furniture and all other belongings. The families of Salem Kadraka, Janda Tadingi, Giripa Puala, Tipu Pirbaka, Meena Kendru, Baska Tadingi and Mukuna Kilika were worst-hit by the rage.
According to the villagers, a thatched house in the middle of the village first caught fire when a villager named Salem Kendruka was preparing food. Eventually, it engulfed at least 16 houses of the village. Though the village is just 18 km from Rayagada town, one has to cross a hanging bridge to reach the location which is surrounded by hills and dense forest.
Some youths informed Rayagada fire brigade personnel after covering a stretch of 10 km as telephone service was not available in Sanalubadi village. On the other hand, the firemen, in the absence of proper road connectivity, too had to cover 35 km to reach the village. By then, the families had lost everything in the blaze.
On being informed, Dangalodi revenue officer reached the village but couldn’t do much due to night. The fire victims spent the whole night in hunger.
Rayagada tehsildar Gyansinath Mishra visited the village Wednesday morning and distributed polythene sheets amongst affected families. Block officials also provided 10 kg of rice to each of the families. Elderly persons and children would be given 500 gm and 250 gm rice for the next 10 days under gratuity relief scheme, officials said.
Dangalodi sarpanch Nageswar Kandagiri, meanwhile, demanded cooked food and clothes for the victims on behalf of the administration.
PNN
