Arunachal: Fire destroys 24 houses in Pareng village, injures 2

A fire in Pareng village, Siang district, on Wednesday night, destroyed 24 homes and partially damaged seven others. The blaze, which started around 8:40 pm, also damaged four huts and injured two people, according to District Disaster Management Officer (DDMO) Obang Apum. Fortunately, there were no major casualties.

The Aalo fire brigade extinguished the flames, while Superintendent of Police Opir Paron, Additional Deputy Commissioner Tajing Jonnom, and District Medical Officer Tarik Talom arrived on the scene to assess the damage and assist residents.

The fire reportedly began from unattended pork roasting over an open fire. The lack of fire stations in the Siang district exacerbated the situation, highlighting the need for better fire-fighting infrastructure.

The DDMO, with the Siang District Students Union, distributed essential supplies to affected villagers on August 1. The community has rallied to support those impacted, according to District Information & Public Relations Officer Neyang Pertin.

The Adi Students’ Union (AdiSU) is organising a two-day donation drive for the fire victims on August 3 and 4 across several districts, including Upper Siang, Siang, East Siang, Namsai, Lower Dibang Valley, Shi-Yomi, and the state capital area. AdiSU is calling for widespread support to aid the victims.