A 73-year-old man died after fire engulfed his one-storied home in Tashiphu under Sherzong Gewog in Sarpang. The incident took place at 2am, this morning.
There were five other people, including a six-year-old boy, sleeping in the next room. The boy suffered some burn and is being treated at the Gelegphu hospital. All of them were rescued by the neighbours.
The fire is said to have started from an electrical short circuit. The gas cylinder in the kitchen exploded to make it worse, said some of the eye witnesses.
The bereaved family was given an emergency kit and a relief fund, Nu.10,000, by the Gyapoi Zimpon’s Office.
They are also entitled to an insurance of Nu.1,00,000 from the Royal Insurance Corporation of Bhutan Limited.
The deceased is survived by eight children. He was originally from Buli in Zhemgang. He had come to Tashiphu in 1975 during the first phase of resettlement programme.