DADU: At least 20 thatched houses and valuable property, including livestock and grain, were reduced to ashes on Sunday as yet another fire broke out in a village in Sindh’s Dadu district.

Dadu Deputy Commis­sioner Syed Murtaza Shah, who visited fire-hit Noorpur, told Dawn that the fire started after a high-voltage wire fell on a thatched house around 1:40 pm and spread to neighbouring houses due to strong winds. He added that rescue activities were under way.

However, locals had to act on their own to extinguish the fire as Mehar’s tehsil administration failed to send even a single fire truck to contain the blaze.

Wazir Qambrani, a local resident, said he called the authorities as soon as the fire broke out but no one came to their help as the fire raged through their village for at least three hours.

“We sat under the open sky waiting for the authorities to rescue us but no one arrived,” Moula Bux Siyal said, complaining about the apathy of the local authorities.

Seek ‘immediate rehabilitation’ as another fire victim dies

The fire destroyed houses, livestock and wheat, among other valuable belongings.

Another resident Zakir Qambrani said a total of 5,000 maunds (one maund is equal to 40kg) of wheat was destroyed in the fire. He added that clothes, jewelry, and other valuables were also reduced to ashes.

Imdad Qambrani said that at least 20 goats, cows, and sheep perished in the fire. Ismail Siyal lost five goats, a year’s worth of wheat and paddy stock as he rushed to save his family from the blaze. He had “spent Rs20,000 on Eid clothes for his family but the fire took them all”.

Ms Bachal Qambrani said she managed to save her seven-member family but her five goats and other property did not survive.

This was the sixth fire in Dadu since Monday.

A total of 136 houses have been destroyed in these blazes so far. According to the breakdown, 50 houses were destroyed in Jalib Rind village near Sita Road town; 11 houses in Mohammad Khoso village near Khairpur Nathan Shah town; five houses in Salih Solangi village near Mehar; and 70 houses in Faiz Mohammad Khoso Daryani Chandio village in Mehar taluka.

Another child dies

Meanwhile, in the fire-struck Faiz Mohammad Daryani Chandio village, the death toll of children increased to 10 after another child succumbed to the fire-related injuries at Jinnah Hospital in Karachi.

Hasan, son of Bahar Chandio, was moved to Karachi owing to his critical condition but he did not survive the fatal injuries. As of now, at least four people, including a child, are in critical condition.

The villagers urged PM Shehbaz Sharif and CM Murad Ali Shah to start the reconstruction of their houses at the earliest.

Imamuddin Chandio, who lost four children to the fire, said it was difficult to live in tents in the scorching heat.

The discontent of the villagers also prompted multiple protests at separate locations on the Mehar-Fareedabad link road.

The deputy commissioner said the government would fix responsibility in the case while assuring them of the government’s support in the rehabilitation of their homes and the village.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2022