Eighty houses gutted on Malda island

At least 80 houses were gutted today after a fire raged through Chandpur village located on an island near Bilaimuri near Rotua, the police said.

The fire started from a kitchen and soon engulfed neighbouring houses as the wind picked up. Though no one was injured in the mishap, three cattle were killed, a senior police officer said.

Since Chandpur is an island, fire tenders found it extremely difficult to reach the village. Local residents initially tried to douse the flames, but soon gave up and the blaze spread across the village.

Senior officials from Rotua reached the village by boats later in the day to take stock of the damage, district officials said.