VELLORE: Four huts including all contents in the huts were reduced to ashes in a fire that broke out at Ambedkar Nagar, Kansalpet here on Sunday.
Residents alerted the Fire and Rescue services after spotting flames in one of the huts. Huts belonging to A Saranraj (29), A Jayalakshmi (24), S Jayapal (60), J Selvarani (50), Elumalai (45), Selvi (35), P Parthasarathy (39), Sabitha (35) were totally destroyed while other huts were partially gutted.
Saranraj, a tailor said, “I lost my household materials and clothes which customers had given for stitching for Diwali. My family members including my two children don’t even have alternate clothes to wear.”
S Manivel, station officer said,“The fire occurred around 11 am and two fire service trucks reached the spot in 15 minutes to put out the fire. The cause of the fire is unknown and further investigations would reveal the truth.”
The fire first broke out at the backside of Saranraj’s house, who was the first one to spot it.
Later the fire spread to the houses of Jayapal, Elumalai and Parthasarathy. Palani (60) father of Parthasarathy, a watchman deputed at the site of real-state plots behind Ambedkar Nagar witnessed the fire and raised an alarm . The residents immediately tried to douse the flames but they couldn’t save their valuables.
Sabitha wife of Parthasarathy, a tailor said,“ My sewing machine and other materials were reduced to ashes . We are poor people and we need immediate help from the district administration for the damages.”
Another resident suspected that a person in mid-30’s, whom he had seen drinking alcohol behind Saranraj’s house, might have set the huts on fire.