Two days, two bushfires in Gangtok

GANGTOK, 20 Jan: The undergrowth is clearly crackling dry now and although bushfires, the bane of dry Sikkim winters, sent in their calling card rather late this season, they came in quick with two bushfires on consecutive days in the heart of the capital. Worryingly, both bushfires were in relatively difficult to access areas – one at Namnang today and the first at Arithang on Sunday.
A forest fire broke out on Namnang Bhir just above Kopibari village this afternoon. A joint operation of around an hour by the Gangtok Fire Station and Forest Department personnel brought the fire under control.
The Gangtok Fire Station received the fire alarm at around 2:45 PM this afternoon and immediately rushed to the spot with a fire tender and started their operations. By the time the fire was brought under control, it had consumed around 1 hectare of undergrowth on Namnang Bhir, it is learnt.
Yesterday, prompt and courageous action by Gangtok Fire Station beat down a fire which broke out at Arithang below Shere Punjab Hotel. The fire did cause substantial damage though, severely damaging parked vehicles - a Bolero and a Scorpio and also damaged another Bolero and a Wagon R.
Gangtok Fire Station received the call at around 4:45 PM on Sunday and immediately rushed to the spot with 3 fire tenders and firefighters. By the time the Fire team reached the spot the fire, which spread from the overgrown area nearby had already reached the four vehicles in question. The squash overhang and irresponsibly disposed garbage in the area are believed to have provided the initial tinder for the fire.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Prakash Rai informed that when the firefighters reached the spot, a major blaze was raging from below the roadside and the vehicles were aflame as well. It took around 30 minutes of intense firefighting to bring the fire under control and around an hour and a half of work put the flames out completely.
The DCFO appreciated that the work of the firefighters, especially the two women firefighters, Shanti Rasaily and Bindu Rai, who, he commended for doing a “tremendous job” in controlling the fire.