SANGHAR, Dec 13: Ten katcha houses were reduced to ashes as a fire broke out in Chamero village near Sanghar on Saturday.

Household articles, Rs30,000 cash, 40 maunds of cotton and wheat stocks were destroyed.

Four goats and a buffalo also perished in the inferno. Gurdhari, Chatan, Naroo, Waloo and others said that they were working in the fields with only children left behind in the houses.

They said that perhaps one of the houses caught fire which rapidly spread to other abodes.

They soon after rushed to the scene and tried to put the fire out with the help of others.

A fire-brigade from Sanghar arrived there and brought under control the fire.

The villagers now were at the mercy of nature as whatever belongings they had, had gone up in flames.