MORANG: One person died and five houses were turned into cinders when a fire broke out in Jaantemode Pathari bazaar today morning. Property and valuables worth 15 million has been destroyed in the incident. The fire that ensued in the house of Madan Basnet gutted four other adjoining houses. Eighty-six-year-old Lal Bahadur Khadka, father-in law of Basnet, was killed in the incident.

According to Tilak Shrestha, Assistant Inspector, Police Post Pathari, houses and properties of locals, Pradesh Kumar Rai, Jasa Bahadur Tamang, Khagendra Limbu, Rajendra Dhimal and Madan Basnet were burnt down. He also informed that the fire broke out due to the leakage of cooking gas.

A local Bidhinath Bhattrai revealed that the fire caused massive damage as there were no means to douse the fire. The incident site is a busy area sans reliable and perennial source of water. Eyewitnesses informed that fire brigade arrived only after one hour after the incident occurred. The fire was controlled after two hours of incessant endeavours by the fire brigade team.