INDIA: A fire sweeps through a shanty town in eastern India, leaving hundreds homeless
Record ID:
1374253
INDIA: A fire sweeps through a shanty town in eastern India, leaving hundreds homeless
- Title: INDIA: A fire sweeps through a shanty town in eastern India, leaving hundreds homeless
- Date: 13th March 2012
- Summary: PATNA, BIHAR, INDIA (MARCH 12, 2012) (ORIGINALLY 4: 3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC) STRAW HUTS ON FIRE VARIOUS OF SMOKE AND FLAMES RISING FROM HUTS RESIDENTS FLEEING LOCALS TRYING TO DOUSE FIRE WITH BUCKET OF WATER FIRE ENGULFING A HOME (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) LOCAL RESIDENT, SHEILA DEVI, SAYING: "The fire started from there. All our belongings were burnt in the fire including the money, clothes and jewellery that we had saved for our daughter's wedding." (Reporter's question: "How many houses were destroyed?") "More than 100 homes have been burnt in the fire." (Reporter's question: "How did it start?") One home caught fire and gradually the entire area went up in flames." (Reporter's question: "Did the fire fighters arrive late?") "Yes, the fire fighters didn't come in good time. They came only after all the homes had been burnt." THICK SMOKE AND FLAMES RISING FROM HUT WOMAN CRYING HOME ON FIRE VARIOUS OF LOCALS TRYING TO DOUSE FLAMES (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) LOCAL RESIDENT, SHAKEEL AHMED, SAYING: "People were scared after seeing a massive fire in a house and instead of dousing it, they ran way with their belongings." HOMES ON FIRE LOCAL PEOPLE DOUSING FIRE FIRE ENGINE ON SCENE/PEOPLE TRYING TO DISMANTLE HUT CHARRED REMAINS OF HUTS/MAN HOSING AREA MAN HOSING AREA VARIOUS OF REMAINS OF HUTS FIRE FIGHTERS PUTTING OUT FLAMES FIRE ENGINE AT SCENE
- Embargoed: 27th March 2012 23:30
- Keywords:
- Location: India, India
- Country: India
- Topics: Disasters
- Reuters ID: LVADZ439ECH9DA3FCDJVECYET3J7
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: A fire swept through a shanty town in India's eastern Bihar city on Monday (March 12), destroying scores of homes.
Around 100 straw huts near Patna's Veterinary College campus were burnt in the disaster.
Some local people said they had lost everything.
"All our belongings were burnt in the fire including the money, clothes and jewellery that we had saved for our daughter's wedding," said local woman, Sheila Devi.
Residents also criticised the emergency services, saying they had not arrived quickly enough.
"The fire fighters didn't come in good time. They came only after all the homes had been burnt," Devi said.
Panicked by the sight of their homes going up in flames, many residents fled the scene, taking their belongings with them.
"People were scared after seeing a massive fire in a house and instead of dousing it, they ran way with their belongings," said local man Shakeel Ahmed.
Residents watched helplessly as firefighters worked to stop the fire spreading to other areas.
The cause of the fire is not yet known.
However, fire safety regulations in India are lax and are rarely implemented. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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