Boy dies, Nepal nationals missing after fire in Himachal's Solan
What's the story
An eight-year-old boy died, and two others were injured in a massive fire that broke out at the Old Bus Stand area of Arki subdivision, Solan district, Himachal Pradesh. The incident occurred around 2:45am on Monday, destroying several shops and buildings. The deceased has been identified as Priyansh, an eight-year-old from Bihar.
Fire details
Fire spreads rapidly, rescue operations underway
The fire started in a wooden building and quickly spread to adjacent structures. Arki Tehsildar Vipin Kumar said, "We received information about the incident around 2:30-3am. He added that nearly 10-15 shops were gutted in the fire. The injured victims are currently being treated at Arki Civil Hospital. "Nine people are still trapped; all are Nepali-origin migrant laborers," he said in the morning. "The fire has been brought under control, but two to three buildings have suffered damage," he added.
Ongoing search
Rescue efforts and missing persons
A large-scale rescue operation was launched, which included fire services, SDRF, Home Guards, and local administration. Fire tenders from Baluganj in Shimla and Ambuja Cement Factory were also rushed to the spot for assistance. An investigation has been launched into the cause of the fire. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed his condolences over the tragic incident, saying, "The tragic incident of the fire in Arki market is extremely heartbreaking.