AGENCIES

GUWAHATI OFFICIALS say a fire raged through a refugee camp in northeastern India, killing 21 people and injuring about 100.

Police Superintendent Darlong says winds whipped the fire into a massive blaze that swept across the Nifingpara camp in Tripura state for three hours Saturday before firefighters brought it under control.

Tripura’s governing CPM party says 21 people were killed and over 100 were hospitalised.

Most of the thatched huts were destroyed in the remote camp, about 100 miles (170 kilometres) northeast of Tripura’s capital, Agartala.

The camp is located about 185 kms from Agartala, adjoining Mizoram and 17 kms from Kanchanpur subdivision.

There were 3700 inmates in the camp.

The camp is located in several hillocks and all houses and huts were turned to ash in about 1 km radius.

Nepal Chandra Das, DIG operations said, “So far we have recovered 14 charred bodies.

But many more bodies could have been still there”.

District magistrate of North Tripura Soumya Gupta and all senior district officials have rushed to the camp.

Subdivisional magistrate of Kanchanpur Dilip Chakma said that the death toll likely to rise as the situation was virtually beyond control.

The camp for the displaced Brus- Reang tribesmen from Mizoramwas heavily crowded and there were virtually no water source in the dry hilly region.

The fire is suspected to have begun from a kitchen and immediately engulfed the series of thatched huts where the displaced Brus were sheltered.

Soon after the fire broke out, fire fighters from all adjoining subdivisions rushed to the spot but could not do much in absence of adequate water and the entire camp was reduced to ashes.

“The fire went beyond control immediately as the entire area is dry and windy.

Worst is there is no water source near the camp to help the fire fighters.

The fire service vehicles had to rush back to far off places for water and then return to the camp, which ultimately could not help douse the devastating flames”, said Amitabha Kar, DG fire service.

Sources from Gachhirampara- Naishingpara said the main task for the fire service, policemen and security forces is now concentrated on recovering the bodies that could still have been buried in the burning debris.

“It was virtually hell fire of Biblical proportion.

The flames kept on devouring huts after huts, acrid smoke billowed up and then covered the area.

And then there was stench of burnt human flesh.

It was a nightmare coming true even as fire service, police, camp inmates and locals stood helpless in absence of water”, said Rjendra Reang.