On Thursday, two massive fire incidents occurred in Dimapur and Kisama, though no casualties have been reported in either incident.
At around 8 p.m. on Thursday, a massive fire engulfed dozens of hutments in the Khermahal area (near NST Workshop). The CGI sheet and bamboo walled huts, according to police, housed around 80-100 rooms for daily wage labourers and their families on a leased plot.
Around ten fire tenders were dispatched to battle the blaze, which was exacerbated by the explosions of approximately ten gas cylinders. Intermittent LPG cylinder explosions sent huge balls of flame skyward, adding to the inferno. Fire tenders from both the central and western regions were pressed into service to douse the fire, which took over an hour to put out. According to initial reports, some residents of the area suffered minor injuries, but no one was killed at the time of filing this report.
Lessons from such incidents have not been learned, prompting police and fire service officials to express their concerns.
Almost all roads within colonies are so narrow that even two vehicles, let alone fire tender trucks, have difficulty passing. The narrow roads make it difficult for fire trucks to get to the scene of an emergency. This newspaper has written about the issue several times, and it was also reportedly brought up during district board meetings. Nothing, however, has been done.
Another issue that firefighters face is a lack of high-quality protective clothing and equipment. Firefighters work in a variety of conditions, including high temperatures and convective and radiant thermal flux.
With the construction of more high-rise buildings in Dimapur, the need for water hydrants in strategic locations, as well as a fire tender with a turntable ladder, is critical. The government, on the other hand, appears to be uninterested in investing in improved manpower training and equipment that can save lives and property.
Two traditional halls (morungs) in Kisama heritage Village (about 12 kilometres from Kohima) caught fire around 3.10 a.m.
While the Ao morung was completely destroyed, the Chang morung was only partially damaged, according to reports.
The cause of the fire was unknown at the time. The fire, however, was thought to have been caused by an electrical short circuit.
Kakihe, assistant director of the Tourism Department and nodal officer for the Hornbill Festival, who was present at the site to oversee the morungs’ repair work, said it was unfortunate that the fire occurred just as the morungs’ work was about to be completed except for some finishing touches.
Three people camping at the Phom morung for painting work, according to Kakihe, discovered the fire. After finding the number on Google, he said they notified the fire station.
According to the official, the fire department’s quick response prevented a disaster because the fire could have destroyed the entire structure.
President L Chubalepzuk of the Kohima Ao Union (KAU), who was also present at the fire scene, said the Union only learned about the fires the next morning after the news went viral on social media. Ao Senden will also oversee the re-construction of a new morung, which will cost around Rs.10 lakh, according to him.
Members of the KAU also expressed their gratitude to the fire department and volunteers from Phesama and Kigwema villages for their assistance with the clean-up.
They also thanked the first three responders, Longtin Phom, cultural secretary of the Kohima Phom Union, T Hongthei Phom, and T Shingmei Phom, for alerting the fire department.
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