Dehradun: High-level probe ordered into Tyuni fire incident, officials suspended
It has come to light that the fire tenders which initially were pushed into service ran out of water, compelling the fire department to send fire vehicles from 10 km away for refilling. The alleged negligence led to the delay in dousing the fire at such a crucial time leading to the death of the four
Dehradun district magistrate (DM) on Friday suspended Tyuni Naib Tehsildar and summoned the concerned officials of the fire department for alleged negligence and delay in the rescue and relief work in the fire incident that took place on Thursday in Tyuni in which at least four children are feared dead.
Meanwhile, a high-level inquiry has been ordered into the fire incident, said Dehradun senior superintendent of police (SSP) Dilip Singh Kunwar. A departmental inquiry has also been ordered against Tyuni tehsildar. He said administration has also suspended Tyuni fire unit in-charge, among four officials, on the alleged negligence in dealing with fire incident.
“If any negligence on the part of the fire unit comes to light, strict action will be taken against the concerned officials,” said the SSP. Meanwhile, DIG Fire Service Nivedita Kukreti has been asked to submit the probe report to the state police chief in three days.
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Director General of Police (DGP) Ashok Kumar has also ordered a probe into the fire incident.
It has come to light that the fire tenders which initially were pushed into service ran out of water, compelling the fire department to send fire vehicles from 10 km away for refilling. The alleged negligence led to the delay in dousing the fire at such a crucial time leading to the death of four children.
In a statement, the fire department said, “Around 4.25pm, our unit in Tyuni received a call about the fire near the iron bridge. Upin reaching the spot, we found that a massive fire had broken out at a three-storey wooden house. We immediately began the fire fighting operation with the help of hose reel and pipe of fire tenders. However, the fire vehicles ran out of the water. We sent the fire vehicles to Majhok for refilling.”
“Fire tenders were also called from Mori and Purola in Uttarkashi and Vikasnagar in Dehradun. They were joined by fire tenders called from Rohru in Himachal Pradesh,” said the fire department.
According to a district official, four children were killed when a gas cylinder caught fire and exploded inside a three-storey wooden house in Dehradun’s Tyuni area on Thursday.
Chakrata sub-divisional magistrate Yukta Mishra said, “Four children, all girls, are feared dead in the LPG cylinder explosion.”
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Tyuni is over 150 km from the capital Dehradun.
Meanwhile, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh each for the kin of the four deceased children.
According to Tyuni tehsildar Roop Singh, the incident took place around 4pm on Thursday when one of the tenants was replacing the empty cylinder which led to leakage and subsequent explosion. Two-three cylinders kept in the rooms of other tenants also caught fire and exploded.
