Northeast Desk, 2nd August: A devastating fire in Pareng village on Wednesday night obliterated 24 homes and partially damaged seven others, causing significant destruction. The blaze, which ignited around 8:40 pm, also damaged four huts and left two people injured, as reported by District Disaster Management Officer (DDMO) Obang Apum. Fortunately, there were no major casualties.
The fire brigade from Aalo swiftly responded and extinguished the flames. Key officials, including Superintendent of Police Opir Paron, Additional Deputy Commissioner Tajing Jonnom, and District Medical Officer Tarik Talom, promptly arrived on the scene to assess the damage and provide assistance to residents.
The fire reportedly originated from unattended pork roasting over an open fire. The incident has underscored the urgent need for improved fire-fighting infrastructure in the Siang district, which currently lacks adequate fire stations.
In response to the disaster, the DDMO, along with the Siang District Students Union, distributed essential supplies to the affected villagers on August 1. The community has shown remarkable solidarity, rallying to support those impacted, as noted by District Information & Public Relations Officer Neyang Pertin.
In a bid to further aid the victims, the Adi Students’ Union (AdiSU) is organizing a two-day donation drive 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 help the fire victims rebuild their lives.
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