Assam: One dead, records destroyed after massive blaze guts Dudhnoi Girls Higher Secondary School

A massive blaze gutted Dudhnoi Girls’ Higher Secondary School in Goalpara district on Saturday, August 30 night reducing a significant part of the institution to ashes and claiming one life. 

The blaze reportedly broke out around 11 pm and was first noticed by locals, who saw flames leaping from the campus. Within minutes, the fire engulfed five classrooms, the principal’s office, a storeroom, and the midday meal kitchen. Furniture, official documents, and teaching materials were completely destroyed. A suspected gas cylinder explosion inside the kitchen worsened the devastation.

 

Amid the charred ruins, authorities recovered the remains of Vivekananda Rabha, a kitchen assistant employed under the midday meal scheme. His body was completely reduced to ashes, with family members able to identify him only through an iron bangle. The grim discovery has cast a pall of grief over the school and surrounding community.

 

Co-District Commissioner Arun Kumar Brahma stated that preliminary findings point to either an electrical short circuit or activity linked to the deceased as possible triggers of the blaze. Police have launched a detailed investigation to ascertain the exact cause.

 

Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, who was in Dudhnoi for a “Mann Ki Baat” event, rushed to the site on Sunday, August 31 morning. After assessing the damage, he assured that reconstruction of the classrooms would be carried out promptly through the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council. He also conveyed condolences to Rabha’s bereaved family, pledging government support.

 

District authorities confirmed that compensation measures and restoration work will be managed under the Disaster Management Department. Meanwhile, anxious residents, educators, and students thronged the site, deeply shaken by the tragedy.

 

Although the origin of the fire remains unclear, eyewitness accounts suggest it began in the kitchen before spreading rapidly.