Shimla: A 70-year-old woman lost her life in a tragic house fire that engulfed a two-storey wooden home in Kuthada village of Spell Valley under the Rohru subdivision late Monday night. The fire, which broke out around 9 PM, reduced the house, owned by Shyam Lal, to ashes.
The blaze reportedly spread rapidly due to the wooden construction of the house. At the time, family members, including children, were inside the residence. They managed to escape safely, but the elderly woman could not be located amidst the chaos. Her charred remains were later discovered in the debris.
Villagers immediately sprang into action, using pumps, power sprays, and water from household tanks to fight the flames. Despite their efforts, the fire continued to rage. The fire station in Rohru was alerted, and fire engines were dispatched to the scene. However, the remote location delayed their arrival by about 30 minutes, by which time the house was destroyed.
Vikas, a resident of Kuthada, described the harrowing moments. “We tried everything to douse the flames, but the fire was uncontrollable,” he said.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined. The administration has started a probe into the incident.
