Pathsala: Amidst the vibrant Diwali celebrations, a wave of panic gripped the town of Pathsala in Assam's Bajali district after a massive fire broke out late on Sunday night, November 8 in the Bhattadev Nagar area. The blaze completely gutted the residential property belonging to Rajat Khataniar, a resident of Choremari, causing substantial loss of household properties and assets.
According to local witnesses, the fire incident was triggered by stray sparks from firecrackers lit as part of the ongoing Diwali festivities. A stray spark landed directly onto a massive stock of hay stored on the rooftop of Khataniar’s house.
Given the highly combustible nature of the dry straw, the flames erupted almost instantaneously, engulfing the upper structure before rapidly spreading throughout the entire residence.
The destructive blaze reduced vital household materials to ashes, including the tin-roof structure, heavy storage drums, clothes, and multiple valuable appliances. Fortunately, family members and neighbors managed to evacuate the premises quickly, avoiding any major casualties or injuries.
However, emergency response faced severe challenges. The local fire and emergency services encountered significant delays due to the heavily congested, narrow lanes of Bhattadev Nagar.
A fire tender attempting to reach the site became temporarily wedged in the tight passage, frustrating locals who had to deploy makeshift water buckets to contain the spread to adjacent buildings until the fire services could maneuver through.
"The narrow road made it extremely difficult for the fire trucks to pass. By the time they reached the exact spot, the main structural rooms were already fully engulfed," stated an anguished neighbor assisting with the relief.
Local authorities and community leaders have arrived at the site to assess the total financial losses, which are estimated to run into lakhs of rupees.
Meanwhile, civil organizations have urged residents to exercise maximum caution when handling firecrackers during the festival to prevent similar hazards in densely populated urban quarters.