MITHI: More than 70 houses and other structures were destroyed by a big fire that broke out in Dhandhro village near Nagarparkar town on Monday.

Pratab Thakur, Bhooro Thakur, Soomar, Pancho and other villagers told local reporters that they and all other affected families lost all their belongings, including valuables like cash, gold and silver ornaments, food grain, furniture etc.

The fire started from one house and engulfed most of the houses, shops, grain storages and stalls in the village. At least 20 cattle heads were also burnt alive, villagers said.

They said the fire spread swiftly giving them no chance to control it. They pointed out that water was a rare commodity in the Thar region and, as such, they could not make any attempt to save their houses and belongings.

The villagers said that fire tenders did arrive at the village but they had already lost everything to the fire by then.

Last month, a similar fire in a village near Nagarpar­kar had reduced over 125 houses and other structures to ashes.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2019