Blaze from short-circuit guts 24 huts near Virudhunagar in Tamil Nadu
VIRUDHUNAGAR: A massive blaze broke out at Perumal Kovil Street near Virudhunagar early on Wednesday, leaving nearly 24 families homeless. The blaze, which sparked in a hut due to an alleged short circuit, quickly spread to nearby huts, triggering cylinder explosions and destroying 24 houses.
The incident occurred around 3 am when a hut caught fire, and the flames rapidly spread to two neighbouring huts, leading to cylinder explosions. S Seethalakshmi (60), who stepped out of her house to visit a temple, noticed the blaze and alerted her neighbours.
Speaking to TNIE, the residents said the blaze intensified within minutes and began spreading rapidly. Nearly 100 people were inside the houses, including 25 elderly persons, many of whom had walking difficulties. "With the help of local youth, everyone managed to escape without injuries," Seethalakshmi said.
Subsequently, the residents informed the fire and rescue service personnel, and the fire was completely doused." However, we could not save our belongings, including important documents, money, and identity cards. Years of savings, including gold jewellery, were reduced to ashes," she added.
Following the incident, officials and representatives from various political parties visited the spot to console the residents. Food was provided and temporary accommodation was also arranged at a nearby marriage hall.
Virudhunagar Municipal Chairman R Madhavan said MLA ARR Sreenivasan would meet the residents in person and facilitate financial assistance. He also assured them that support would be extended to help them replace the lost documents.
The street falls under Ward 22 of Virudhunagar municipality, and most houses are small structures with iron sheet roofs. Residents, mostly daily wage labourers, said their houses are located on HR&CE temple lands, for which they pay a monthly rent ranging from Rs 300 to Rs 1,000.
The residents urged the government to offer a permanent solution and help them secure proper housing. "We received electricity and water connections just a few years ago. Due to financial constraints, we have been unable to build sturdy houses. To ensure a safe life for us, the government must take swift action, and either provide financial aid to build houses or directly allot us houses,” said Hemnath Jeyashankar (23), a resident.