A man in his thirties lost his life while battling the fire, which broke out above Chang Debsi in Thimphu today. According to sources the man slipped into a gully, which was raging with fire, while trying to stop the fire from reaching the house where he stays. The fire broke at around 11 in the morning.
Smoke from the fire engulfed Thimphu City for a few hours this afternoon. Strong winds meant it made it impossible for the fire fighters to stop the fire from spreading further.
The winds changed the course of the fire and diverted it away from Chang Debsi towards the left hill behind the Buddha Dordenma statue.
The fire also caught settlements in upper Debsi. Some residents in the area fled along with their belongings.
A few cars were also damaged after catching fire.
As of this evening, the flames in the north and around Buddha Dordenma statue were contained but the fire fighters could not contain the fire at south Debsi due to rough terrain.
The Desuung Chief Programme Officer said that the fire fighters withdrew for today.
As of now, there is no power supply in the Debsi area. The cause of the fire is not known yet.
Namgay Dem
Edited by Sherub Dorji
