Mar 10: A forest fire in the eastern district of Trashigang has burnt down an automobile workshop, three cars and 25 two-wheelers kept for repair there. The fire started on Tuesday and is yet to come under control.
Further the wild fire burnt down a sawmill, a house, makeshift labor camps at Kheri and damaged 150 disc insulators of the Chenari powerhouse when the store caught fire. A cow was burnt alive. Many vehicles and bikes were burnt.
Continued strong wind that started yesterday afternoon makes it difficult to bring the fire under control. Villagers, forestry, dzongkhag and Dantak officials, police and volunteers from Sherubtse college in Kanglung are on the field to control.
Volunteers stopped fire from spreading towards the dzong and catching to the only fuel station at Kheri.
Two firefighting engines are fighting the fires. Over 1000 acres of forest have been destroyed.
Preliminary investigation show that lit cigarettes thrown by car travelers would be the cause behind the fire but has not been confirmed.
