DHARAMSALA, November 16 – A massive fire broke out at the TCV Swiss camp yesterday evening, a residential colony for former construction workers of the TCV school. The fire, according to sources, was caused by an unattended burning stove. The owner of the house had gone to his neighbor’s place for a chat. The fire also caused two explosions of two gas cylinders.
Two houses were gutted in the fire but no human casualty reported. Actual loss to property is not known as of now. Both residents of the houses are retired senior citizens aged 92 and 76.
The school children from the boys hostel swarmed with water buckets and sand to extinguish the fire. The sheer number of these untrained firefighters was a spectacle in itself, say eye witnesses.
In the school auditorium some 200 metres from the fire, around 500 children were watching an entertainment program. The school authorities immediately stopped the program and teachers ensured safe exit of the students without panicking.
The firefighters from the local administration arrived immediately at the scene of the fire, and joined hands with the students in extinguishing the fire. The firefighters and other eyewitnesses praised the job done by the students. “I must appreciate the presence of mind of these kids who did an amazing job. They were so engaged in their mission that they seemed to have done a fire drill before.”
The fire was completely put out around 8PM.
