A massive fire broke out in Arki town of Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district near the UCO Bank building at the old bus stand early Monday morning, leading to the death of a seven-year-old child, while several people are suspected to be trapped inside the affected premises. The incident occurred around 2:30 am.
The situation worsened after several LPG cylinders exploded, causing the fire to spread rapidly and making it extremely difficult for firefighters to control the blaze. Panic gripped the area as residents rushed out of their homes, while rescue teams continued searching for others who may still be inside the collapsed structure.
Confirming the incident, Solan Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh said police and fire brigade teams were immediately rushed to the spot and rescue operations were launched. He added that teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were also deployed to assist in the rescue efforts.
Arki MLA Sanjay Awasthi said eight to nine people are feared trapped in the fire, adding that the deceased child belonged to a family of migrant labourers. Officials said six to seven cylinders exploded, rapidly intensifying the blaze and causing extensive damage to nearby structures.
Following the incident, the local administration and fire department launched an extensive rescue and firefighting operation. Firefighters are working to bring the blaze under control and clear debris, while medical and disaster response teams have been deployed for relief work.
In a separate incident, a massive fire broke out on Wednesday at the historic royal palace of the erstwhile Kyonthal princely state in Junga near Shimla, causing extensive damage to the nearly 800-year-old heritage structure and destroying invaluable historical and religious property.
According to members of the Kyonthal royal family, the blaze is believed to have originated near the sacred installation of Devta Maharaj Deo Junga within the palace complex and quickly spread through the ancient wooden structure. The palace, built during the reign of Raja Khushvakram Sen and largely made of old timber, had remained unoccupied for several years due to its deteriorating condition.
Royal family member Vijay Jyoti Sen said that although no one was living in the palace, priceless religious assets belonging to the deity, including gold and silver ornaments and other valuables worth crores of rupees, were stored there and have been completely destroyed.
“This palace was nearly 800 years old. Though it was vacant, it housed the deity's property. Everything has been reduced to ashes. Nothing could be saved as the entire structure was engulfed,” she said, adding that the exact cause of the fire is still unknown. Thick smoke was first noticed by local residents around 1:00 pm, after which the Junga police outpost was informed.
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Fire tenders were immediately rushed from Chhota Shimla, Mall Road Shimla and the Tilak Nagar water station. Station Fire Officer Mansaram said they received the first alert at 1:05 pm and deployed four fire vehicles and around 20 personnel from three fire stations.
“The fire is under control, though some parts are still smouldering. No casualties have been reported,” he said.
Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi confirmed there was no loss of life and said a Forensic Science Laboratory team has been called to ascertain the cause of the fire. Police have registered a case, while the revenue department and local administration have begun assessing the losses.