PATIALA: Around 250 huts of migrant labourers caught fire in
Nurpur Bedi area of Ropar district on Wednesday evening. However, no casualties were reported. Fire tenders were rushed to the spot after getting information from the locals and the police.
The cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained. Police claimed that huts caught fire in tandem and rescue operation was initiated immediately. The labourers have been evacuated from the area and temporary shelters provided to the affected.
Police said the incident took place at around 5 pm when one of the huts caught fire, which could not be extinguished. Police said the huts had little space for the fire tenders to move freely to douse the flames.
Sources said the huts had come up on the Army land and were spread over 2.5 acres where around 1,200 migrant labourers were residing. Senior police officials and officials of the Ropar district administration reached the spot to assess the incident.
Nurpur Bedi station house officer (SHO) Des Raj said, “The area where huts are built is just near our police station. We immediately informed the senior officials after calling the fire tenders to extinguish the fire. None of the labourers were injured as everyone came out of their huts after few of the shanties caught fire. No case was registered as there were no casualties. Food is being served to the affected people by a local charitable society.”
Besides Peer
Baba Jinda Shaheed Society, various NGOs have also reached to help the labourers and were providing clothes and other necessary items.
Anandpur Sahib sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Rakesh Garg said, “We are trying to provide immediate shelter and food to the labourers who have lost their houses and belongings. They have been given shelter at the langar hall of Peer Baba society. It is being suspected that one of the huts might have caught fire from a kerosene stove.”
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