Kathmandu, Dec 21: It has been found that there has been a financial loss of around Rs 10 billion due to fire in the last five years in Nepal.

Similarly, a total of 206 people have lost their lives to fire, 1,334 have been injured as well as 110 people have been displaced in the last five years.

According to Basanta Kunwar, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), also, Spokesperson at the Nepal Police, there has been a loss of Rs. 10 billion 949 million 353 thousand and 735 in the last five years due to the incidents of fire.

SSP Kunwar, said, “Mainly, the fire has been found to be caught in toilets, houses, animal shed, and industries.”

As per the data of Nepal Police, the financial loss incurred due to fire in the current fiscal year has been reported to be Rs. 160 million 996 thousand and 782. Similarly, the loss caused by the arson in the fiscal year 2077/78 was Rs. four billion 72 million 44 thousand and 616, in the fiscal year 2076/077, loss from the fire was reported to be Rs. 2 billion 215 million 655 thousand and 300.

Similarly, financial loss due to fire in the fiscal year 2075/76 stands at Rs two billion 788 million 902 thousand and 255, and Rs. One billion 711 million 754 thousand and 782 have been lost in the fiscal year 2074/75.

Carelessness of people cause of the fire

Sundar Sharma, Fire expert said that many incidents of fire have been seen to be from the carelessness of people.

He said, “Fire gets to spread in a large area because of the lack of preparedness in putting out the fire. There is no preparedness for an instant fire brigade which allows the fire to spread and cause destruction.”

Generally, fire is caught from lit lamps, candlesticks and matchsticks that people forget to extinguish. When the lit fire catches an object such as hay, raw oil and clothes, it spreads thereby causing massive destruction.

He further said that the fire caught due to technical reasons is very minimal.

Fire incidents increasing

Experts said that the incidents of fire, that are on the increasing trend, and stressed personal vigilance to avoid arson incidents as most of them are found to be caused by carelessness.

According to the data from the Nepal Police, in the fiscal year 2077/78, 2,853 incidents of arson have been reported, which have killed 81 people and injured 382. Similarly, in the fiscal year 2076/77, of the total 1,781 incidents of arson, 37 people have lost their lives and 309 were injured. A total of 2,339 incidents of fire were reported in the fiscal year 2075/76, killing 72 people and injuring 312 people. In a similar manner, 1,792 reports of arson were reported in the fiscal year 2074/75, killing 67 people and injuring 265 people.

SSP Kunwar, said, “The incidents of arson have been on an increasing trend. Mainly, incidents of arson have been cited because of the mild carelessness of people rather from the technical disruptions.”

In the current fiscal year, there have been 329 incidents of arson, which have killed five people and injured 66.