BATTAGRAM/MANSEHRA: A minor girl died and three women were injured, besides hundreds of cattle head perished as separate fires engulfed cattle pens in Battagram and Mansehra districts on Monday morning.

Blaze in a cattle pen in Gat Serai area of Battagram claimed life of a four-year-old girl, Bushra Bibi, and caused injuries to three women. The fire rapidly spread to four adjacent residences, inflicting injuries on Sumaira Bibi, Bushra’s mother, as well as Rukhsana, 32, and Saeedullah, 20, all of whom are members of the same family.

The fire also killed a buffalo and three bovines, with a total of four dwellings being completely destroyed in the fire incident. Soon after the fire broke out, the local people rushed to the site and extinguished the blaze.

SHO Fareed Khan said reason of fire could not be ascertained and an investigation was underway.

In Mansehra, around 250 goats perished when a massive fire engulfed a cattle pen in Karori area of Oghi on Sunday night.

Taj Mohammad had bounded his herd of goat in the cattle pen for the night, but later someone informed him about the fire. He and locals rushed to the scene and after several hours of exhausting efforts, managed to extinguish the fire. However, all the goats had already perished.

Mohammad Taj alleged miscreants had lit a fire nearby to cope with the cold wave, but strong winds spread the flames, setting his cattle pen ablaze. “Locals did everything they could to save the goats, but the intense blaze left none of them alive,” he said.

He also urged the district police officer to arrest those responsible for the fire, which destroyed his livestock and left his family struggling to afford two meals a day.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2025