A devastating fire engulfed a three-storied wooden house in Sisa Golai under Gangtok District today around 12:30 PM, completely reducing the structure to ashes. The house, owned by Mr. Padam Bahadur Thapa, was home to several tenants who have now been displaced. In addition, three nearby homes sustained partial damage. These properties belong to Mr. Mohan Basnett, Ms. Amravati Chettri, and Ms. Sushila Basnett.
Local authorities, including SDM Gangtok, Mr. Mahendra Chettri, and DDMA Training Officer, Ms. Bijayata Kharel, inspected the site shortly after the incident. The cause of the fire remains undetermined.
Swift action by the Fire Department and local volunteers helped prevent the blaze from spreading further. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported.
The house that was entirely destroyed housed the following tenants:
1. Sandeep Sundas
2. Roshan Sundas
3. Pushpa Sundas
4. Mukesh Chettri
5. Suku Doma Lepcha
6. Baichung Lepcha
7. Arjun Sharma
8. Bal Krishna Karki Dholi
9. Umesh Sharma
10. Abdul Rehman
Authorities confirmed that ex-gratia relief will be provided to the affected individuals in accordance with the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) guidelines.
While the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, the community’s rapid response highlights the resilience and solidarity of the residents of Gangtok in the face of such emergencies.
