A massive fire ripped through the shutters lining the fruit market in Damauli’s bustling Main Square last night. The inferno, which erupted around 1:00 AM, raged for three hours before being contained.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Deepak Kumar Rai of Tanahun District Police Office confirmed that approximately 20 shutters were destroyed by the flames. Initial estimates suggest damages in the lakhs (hundreds of thousands) of rupees.
Four fire engines from the Tanahun Hydropower Project, Muglin Pokhara Road Project, and Vyas Municipality battled the blaze for hours. The Nepali Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and residents all joined hands in the firefighting efforts.
Vyas Municipality’s fire brigade arrived promptly but faced initial challenges due to its limited size and power. However, the situation improved significantly with the arrival of reinforcements from the Muglin Pokhara Road Project and the Tanahun Hydropower Project.
Electrical leakage is suspected as the initial cause of the fire. While the exact extent of the damage remains under investigation, authorities confirmed that the destroyed shutters were owned by the District Coordination Committee and rented out to various shopkeepers.
