House Reduced To Ashes In Borkhola Part 1; Locals Turn Back Fire Engine After Delayed Response

A devastating fire destroyed the house of Kalyan Malakar in Borkhola Part 1, Cachar on Monday night (10 November), leaving the family homeless. The blaze broke out around 10 PM, and the estimated loss is worth several lakhs of rupees.

According to reports, the house was completely gutted before the fire brigade arrived. Angered by what they called an “unacceptable delay,” locals allegedly stopped the fire engine and sent it back. Borkhola Police arrived soon after receiving the information.

It took locals nearly 1.5 hours to bring the fire under control on their own. Family members said a gas cylinder explosion triggered the fire, which spread rapidly and reduced the entire house to ashes. Though the family managed to escape, several people reportedly sustained injuries. Important documents, valuables, and household items were all destroyed, leaving the family with no place to spend the night.

Locals expressed strong resentment, alleging that despite having a fire engine stationed in Borkhola, it did not respond on time. They claimed that when they called Borkhola Police Station and the Fire Station, help failed to arrive. Residents further questioned why the fire tenders, allegedly stationed barely 500 metres from the spot, took nearly 1.5 hours to reach, by which time the house had already been engulfed and the fire doused by locals themselves.