Four of family killed as fire guts 24 houses in Arunachal’s Parsi-Parlo; man missing

At least four members of a family, including three children, were killed after a massive fire swept through Parsi-Parlo town in Arunachal Pradesh's Kurung Kumey district in the early hours of Thursday, destroying 24 houses, officials said.

The deceased were a woman and her three minor children — two boys and a girl. Her husband remains missing, raising fears that the death toll could increase, Deputy Commissioner Cheechung Chukhu said.

The fire reportedly broke out around 2.30 am and quickly spread to adjoining houses. According to the District Disaster Management Officer, 19 houses were completely gutted, while five others suffered partial damage.

The cause of the fire is yet to be established. Preliminary reports suggest that it may have originated in a kitchen.

"The casualty figure might go up. The extent of damage could only be ascertained after assessment," Chukhu said.

A team of officials from the district headquarters at Koloriang rushed to the affected town in the morning to oversee rescue and relief operations.

The tragedy has also highlighted the lack of adequate firefighting infrastructure in the remote town. Sources said Parsi-Parlo does not have a fire station, while the fire tender stationed at Koloriang, around 38 km away, reportedly failed to reach the affected area in time.

The delay in firefighting support is believed to have hampered efforts to contain the rapidly spreading flames.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu condoled the loss of lives and expressed solidarity with the affected families.

He also thanked the local administration, police, fire services, emergency responders, volunteers and residents for their efforts in responding to the tragedy, and urged the authorities to ensure all necessary assistance to those affected.

Meanwhile, the All Nyishi Youth Association (ANYA) expressed grief over the incident and extended condolences to the bereaved family and others affected by the fire.

ANYA president Jamru Ruja urged the state government to provide immediate relief and rehabilitation assistance to the affected families, saying they needed all possible support during this difficult period.

He also announced that the organisation would launch a donation drive and visit the fire-hit town soon to extend assistance to the victims.