A devastating fire broke out in Multanpur Grant hamlet of Kari Baderi village under Mitauli tehsil in Lakhimpur Kheri on Monday night, gutting around 50 houses and destroying the belongings of 74 families. Five cattle died in the blaze, though no human casualties were reported.
Fire Spread Rapidly Due to Strong Winds
A district official said, "Fanned by strong winds, the fire spread rapidly before district fire officer Akshai Ranjan Sharma arrived with three fire tenders. The blaze was brought under control after hours of effort." The fire started around 9 pm and quickly engulfed the thatched and concrete structures in the densely populated hamlet.
Relief Operations and Damage Assessment
As part of the relief operation, villagers were shifted to safer locations, and food packets were distributed from the panchayat bhawan. On Tuesday, District Magistrate Anjani Kumar Singh visited the village, met the affected families, and directed the revenue department to expedite the process to assess the damage. He assured the victims of immediate assistance and compensation.
CO Mitauli Yadvendra Yadav told TOI, "We remained at the site till evening. Many houses had thatched portions along with concrete structures, which caused the fire to spread rapidly. The damage assessment was carried out by the tehsildar, and the SDM of Mitauli will provide further details." The tehsildar and a team of revenue officials conducted a spot inspection and recorded the losses.
Official Unavailable for Comment
The SDM of Mitauli and the DM of Lakhimpur Kheri were unavailable for comment when contacted by TOI. However, sources said that the district administration has initiated the process for providing ex-gratia relief to the affected families under the State Disaster Response Fund.
Community Response
Local villagers and panchayat members played a crucial role in rescuing people and livestock. Many families lost everything, including grain stocks, household items, and cash. The affected families are currently staying with relatives or in temporary shelters set up by the administration. The police have registered a case and are investigating the cause of the fire.
About the Author: Krishna Chaudhary, a mass communication graduate, is a Senior Correspondent covering the sugar belt of Western Uttar Pradesh. He loves reporting on crime, politics, and impactful human-interest stories.
