Jammu, April 22
At least 50 villagers, including women and children, and scores of animals were trapped in a fire that broke out late last night in a wildlife park in Shivalik Hills, overlooking Jammu city, officials said today.
Mr R.S. Sodhi, Joint Director, Jammu and Kashmir Fire Service, said here this afternoon that four villages in the Sunjuwan-Bhathindi area — Bathindi Upper, Dongi, Sidhra CRPF Camp and Rakh Top — had been affected by the fire.
He said the fire began when some local people were trying to remove dry grass by setting it on fire. No sooner was the grass set on fire than it spread and the inferno engulfed about six km of the land area, he said.
Mr Sodhi said at least 12 fire tenders along with dozens of firemen had been pressed into service around 9.30 a.m. today to douse the wildfire and rescue the trapped people in the affected villages.
A large number of wild animals were also trapped in the inferno in the park, he said.
UNI
