Six-year-old student dies in school hostel fire in Arunachal Pradesh

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: A pre-dawn fire triggered by a suspected electrical short circuit swept through the hostel of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Awasiya Vidyalaya at Taktsang in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district on Thursday, claiming the life of a six-year-old student and destroying school property, a district official said.

The blaze broke out around 12:20 a.m. while most children were asleep, he said.

Student Dorjee Tsomu (Class VIII) and hostel warden Nima Lhamu managed to rescue several students, but a Class I student, Choine Tsomu, could not be saved due to the fast-spreading flames, the Tawang district information and public relations officer (DIPRO) said in a statement.

Personnel from a nearby Indian Army unit, villagers, school staff and hostel authorities rushed to the scene. Despite their efforts, the dried wooden planks and furniture inside the hostel accelerated the fire’s spread, making containment difficult.

District authorities, including Tawang Deputy Commissioner Namgyal Angmo, Superintendent of Police Dr D W Thongon, Additional Deputy Commissioner Lungla Tashi Dhondup, District Disaster Management Officer (DDMO) Genden Tsomu and Deputy Director of School Education (DDSE) Hridar Phuntsok, visited the site to assess the damage and meet the bereaved family. Officials sent the body of the deceased for post-mortem and other legal formalities. Authorities identified the victim as six-year-old Choine Tsomu, daughter of Tenzin Yeton and Yeshi Wange of Shocktsan village under Jemeithang circle of the border district.

The deputy commissioner has ordered a magisterial inquiry, to be conducted by the Jemeithang circle officer, to determine the cause and circumstances of the incident. A district-wide safety audit of all residential schools and hostels has also been directed.

Also Read: Bodies of two Goa nightclub fire victims brought home to Silchar