Over 40 houses gutted in U'khand village fire

Over 40 houses were gutted in a major fire that broke out in Savani village here in the wee hours today, rendering scores of people homeless and charring nearly a hundred cattle to death, officials said.
The blaze started in a wooden house in the village on the Uttarakhand-Himachal border and gradually engulfed the adjoining ones leaving only around five houses in the entire hamlet intact, Uttarkashi District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan said.
Chauhan, who rushed to the spot with rescue teams this morning, said 45 houses were burnt down in the fire, adding that the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained.

As many as 39 houses were completely destroyed whereas six were partially burnt, the DM said from the spot.
The fire might have spread from a bonfire lit by villagers, he said.
Nearly a hundred cattle were also charred to death, the DM said.

The affected families were evacuated to Jakhol, about 7 km from the village, where relief material was made available to them, Chauhan said.
No human casualty had been reported, he added.
People from neighbouring villages, including Jakhol, Dhara, Sinkundi, Dhatmir, Fitadi and Osal, were the first to come to the rescue of the affected families.
Officials of the animal husbandry, agriculture and supply departments were rushed to the spot to assess the damages.