Mohan Kuthar
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jun 7: In a devastating incident late Thursday night, a house in Bagambila Vaidyanathanagar, under the jurisdiction of Kotekar town panchayat, was completely gutted in a fire. The blaze destroyed electronic appliances, daily-use items, and sarees that had been set aside for a wedding scheduled for the next day.
The house belongs to Sushila Madivalti, a resident of Bagambila Vaidyanathanagar. At the time of the incident, Sushila, her daughter Asha, husband Janardhan, and Sushila’s sister Meera were attending a relative’s Mehendi function nearby.
Upon returning home, Sushila opened the door and noticed flames inside. She immediately called for help, alerting relatives and neighbours present at the ceremony. Locals rushed to the spot and managed to first remove the gas cylinders from the house to prevent an explosion. Despite their efforts to douse the fire, the blaze had already spread uncontrollably.
The fire brigade was soon called in and managed to extinguish the fire. However, by then, household items including a grinder, refrigerator, TV, fan, clothes, cupboards, and other belongings had been completely destroyed.
The family was already reeling under financial stress. Janardhan works as a daily wage labourer, while his daughter Asha is employed at a local medical education institution. Elderly members Sushila and Meera stay at home. The family relies entirely on the incomes of Janardhan and Asha to make ends meet.
Adding to their emotional burden, Sushila had lost one of her sons a few years ago in an accident. She also suffers from speech difficulties following a snake bite, which has affected her ability to communicate clearly.
The loss of their home, in which the family had been living for the past 25 years, has left them shattered. According to family members, the fire is suspected to have been caused by a short circuit. However, MESCOM personnel also indicated the possibility of the fire being triggered by one of the appliances inside the house.