Raiganj: A massive fire engulfed over fifteen huts belonging to ten families in Khagar under the Goalpokhar police station area of North Dinajpur district on Wednesday afternoon. The blaze, which reportedly started from a kitchen, quickly spread, reducing the houses to ashes.
Firefighters from the local fire station rushed to the spot and battled the flames for nearly five hours before bringing the situation under control. Despite facing difficulties due to narrow lanes, the timely intervention of the fire brigade prevented further damage. Following the incident, officials from the Goalpokhar block administration provided immediate relief, including tarpaulin sheets, garments and dry food to the affected families. On Thursday morning, Ghulam Rabbani, Minister of State for Non-Conventional and Renewable Energy Sources and MLA of Goalpokhar, visited the victims and assured them of necessary compensation from the state government. Rabbani said: “Two years ago, we set up a fire station in Goalpokhar, which played a crucial role in controlling the fire before it spread further. However, the fire brigade faced challenges due to the narrow roads. We will ask local Panchayat members to take measures to expand the roads soon.”
The minister also directed block officials to prepare a detailed damage report to be sent to the state government for compensation.
