Sagaing fire razes 23 houses, leaving 126 homeless

Monday, 12 April 2010 20:18 Mizzima News

New Delhi (Mizzima) - Strong wind fanned a blaze that took less than three hours to destroy almost two dozen houses and a primary school in a village in the northwestern division of Sagaing on Friday night, villagers and fire officials say.
The fire in Saw Bwa Yeshin village, Kale township, razed a total of 23 thatched-roofed huts and wooden houses with corrugated-iron roofing and left about 126 without homes, according to residents and the local fire brigade.

Sergeant Phoe Ni from the Kale Township Fire Brigade told Mizzima: “The fire broke out at about 2.30pm … on April 9 and spread to these houses. Seven fire tenders rushed to the scene and the fire was brought under control at about 5pm,” Sergeant Phoe Ni from the Kale Township Fire Brigade told Mizzima.

Saw Bwa Yeshin village lies on Kale-Tamu highway, 56 kilometres north of Kale and has about 500 houses.

“The fire started at C Group on the Kale-Tamu highway. Five houses to the west of the highway and 18 houses on the east were affected. Our office was informed about the fire at about 3pm,” he added.

Commenting on the ferocity and speed of the fire, village youth organisation member Ro San said there were no reports of death or injuries.

“The fire started at U Khum Lian’s house and spread to the village. It engulfed the houses very rapidly because of a strong wind. The fire could not be controlled by manpower alone. If the fire tenders had not arrived in time, the entire village would have been burned to ashes”, Ro San said.

Officials from Kale township and divisional offices arrived at the scene as the fire was raging. They took no action against anyone but promised victims that they would ask the government for assistance to rebuild the houses, he added.

Those made homeless were taking shelter at a makeshift camp within the village-affiliated middle school on Monday night and community elders, youth organisation members and relatives provided food and clothing. The community is building makeshift tents for each household.

Phoe Ni estimated the loss from this fire at about 12 million Kyats.

This fire also destroyed the affiliated primary school built by community members and elders in 1996 on a “self-reliance” basis.