A devastating fire broke out in Mamadoh village, located in the tribal-dominated Khalwa block of Khandwa district, on Friday evening, completely destroying eight mud houses and leaving several families homeless. The incident occurred around 4 pm when most villagers were away attending a wedding procession, which significantly delayed initial firefighting efforts and allowed the flames to spread rapidly through the closely built structures.
Panic and Grief in the Village
The fire triggered panic and grief as families returning from the wedding found only heaps of ashes where their homes once stood. Household items, stored grains, clothes, cash, and essential belongings were completely destroyed in the blaze. Victims were left with only the clothes they were wearing. Women and children were seen crying as villagers gathered around the burnt structures late into the night.
Cause and Spread of the Fire
According to officials, the fire started in one of the kutcha houses and quickly engulfed seven neighboring structures due to strong winds and the congested layout of the village. Residents present in the village alerted the panchayat, following which a fire brigade from Harsud reached the spot. However, by the time fire tenders and water tankers from nearby panchayats arrived, all eight houses had already been gutted.
Official Response and Relief Measures
Khandwa Superintendent of Police Agam Jain stated that the fire spread rapidly through the cluster of kutcha houses, leaving residents with little time to save their belongings. Khandwa Collector Rishav Gupta confirmed that eight families lost their houses in the fire. As immediate relief, each affected family was provided 50 kg of food grains, including 40 kg wheat, 10 kg rice, and 1 kg salt. Arrangements for ration supplies, clothes, and bedding have also been made for the victims. Meals for the affected families are being arranged by the gram panchayat. Separate cases under the RBC provisions are being prepared to provide financial assistance from the government to each affected family.
Minister's Assurance and Financial Aid
Upon receiving information about the incident, state minister and local MLA Vijay Shah reached the village directly from Bhopal and assured affected families of assistance. He announced that each affected family would receive Rs 1.20 lakh under the PM Awas Yojana for the construction of new houses. The houses destroyed in the fire belonged to Devchand, Phoolchand, Bhagirath, Ramdas, Dashrath, Navlu, Chunnilal, and Chutra.
