ILAM: The victims of the fire that gutted 10 houses in Nikunjapath of Ilam-1 have demanded that the government provide them with relief and loan without interest.

Most of the residents were unable to save their property when the fire started raging. Kalyan Khaki of Nikunjapath said only the family members could survive as half of their house had burnt down when they heard about the fire. "The government should provide relief to the victims at the earliest," he said.

Another victim, Ishwor Chipalu said he had invested all his property in the house. "Whatever I earned was used in building the house. Besides, I have taken Rs 2.5 million as loan from a bank. All that has turned into the ashes now," he lamented.

Mai Prasad Shrestha, who had a cloth store in Chipalu's house, said all he had earned had been lost with the shop. He had invested about Rs 5 million, including Rs 1 million in loan, in the shop. He said he needed another loan to restart his business.

The fire had started from Chipalu's house at 10 pm. Forty-three families have been directly affected by the calamity. It is estimated that property worth Rs 100 million was destroyed in the blaze.