5 die in fire, wooden house reduced to ashes

At least five persons were charred to death after a fire broke out in a wooden house at Ziro in Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh, officials said today.
The victims, four men and a woman, were tenants of the 14-room house which was reduced to ashes.
The fire broke out yesterday evening when only those five persons were present in the house, the officials said.
The cause of the fire and the extent of damage were being ascertained.
Deputy Commissioner Kemo Lollen said fire tenders stationed at the Advanced Landing Ground of the Indian Air Force were pressed into service to douse the blaze.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu expressed grief over the deaths and directed the officials to provide shelter to the tenants of the house who were rendered homeless.
Khandu asked people to follow fire safety measures especially during the winter so that such incidents do not recur as the administration can intervene in the aftermath.
Unconfirmed reports said the owner of the house was also among the dead.