By Siraj Khan, Nepalgunj, Apr. 4: On Saturday afternoon, a fire broke out from a shed in Ward 4 of Narainapur Rural Municipality. In no time, the fire spread to over 100 houses in the area.

When the authorities began collecting the data of devastation after extinguishing the fire, a total of 112 houses were found to have been destroyed.

Authorities faced a hard time to bring the fire under control due to the wind.

It took them more than four hours to extinguish the fire with the help of several fire engines which arrived from different neighbouring areas.

Locals, law enforcement agencies and security personnel had joined hands to extinguish the fire before it could expand to more houses.

Similarly, the authorities had also begun to relocate the affected families and provide them necessary relief packages.

According to Istiyak Ahmad Sah, chairman at Narainapur Rural Municipality, 112 families whose houses were destroyed have been relocated to 40 temporary tents for now.

“The 112 families have nothing left as all of their properties, from clothes to jewelry, were destroyed in the fire. Having some food to sustain or money to afford anything is a far cry for the 112 families,” said Sah.

Similarly, four individuals were said to have been injured in the fire.

Sah also informed that they had started receiving assurances of necessary relief for the victims.

The District Crisis Management Committee also informed that they have provided food items worth Rs. 600,000 to the affected families and that other necessary relief packages were on the way.

“Member of the Madhesi Commission Bijay Gupta had aided Rs. 500,000 and Dr. Roman Kidwai, assistant director at Nepalgunj Medical College, provided Rs. 100,000 for the fire victims. We provided food items through the collected money,” said Ram Bahadur Kurumbang, chief district officer of Banke.

The food items provided to the victims included noodles, biscuits, puffed rice and water.

According to Kurumbang, the district administration will provide necessary compensation to 112 families on Monday.

Similarly, Lions Club of Nepalgunj also provided food items worth Rs. 1,000 each to all the 112 affected families. Several non-government organisations and individuals have also come forth with relief materials for the victims.

The district administration also informed that they were preparing for proper relocation of the affected families at the earliest.