A devastating fire in Guwahati early Friday claimed four lives, while a separate blaze in another locality resulted in extensive property damage. Rescue personnel described both incidents as causing significant losses.
First Fire at Joymati Nagar
The initial fire broke out at Joymati Nagar in the Jalukbari area around 2:30 am, approximately 7 km from the Pandu Fire and Emergency Services Station. According to the State Disaster Response Force, the deceased were identified as Quddus Ali (55), his wife Kajali Begum (40), their son Shafiqul Ali (23), and another 12-year-old son whose identity is yet to be confirmed.
“The family hailed from Lakhipur in Goalpara district. Their bodies were recovered and handed over to the police for necessary formalities,” said a rescue personnel from Pandu F&ESS. The family lived in a residential house with a GI-sheet roof and brick-and-tin walls, owned by Rehana Choudhury.
“The exact cause of the fire is yet to be confirmed, but it is suspected to have been triggered by either a faulty electrical circuit or a gas cylinder leak from a nearby hotel where Quddus worked. We arrived at 2.36 am, and it took nearly two hours to douse the flames,” the personnel added.
Six fire tenders were deployed, though only three could reach the site due to the narrow approach road. “Even the vehicles that managed to enter faced difficulties because of cars parked along the route,” he said. Property worth Rs 10 lakh was involved in the blaze, of which Rs 2 lakh was salvaged.
Second Fire at Six Mile
The second incident occurred around 4 am in the city’s Six Mile area, where a fire broke out at a restaurant owned by Manash Chetia. Rescue personnel from Dispur F&ESS extinguished the flames using three tanks of water. No casualty was reported. Officials estimated the property loss at Rs 20 lakh, while assets worth Rs 10 lakh were saved.
