Massive forest fire in Kasauli

Tribune News Service

Solan, May 25

Massive forest fires erupted at various places, including Dharampur-Kasauli road, Chakki-ka-Mor road, Kado village near Dosarka and Dochi village in Kasauli and Dharampur areas on Friday evening.

Winds fuelled the blaze as the fire was seen spreading rapidly on the dry forest ground. The rising plumes of fire spread panic among local residents. Though the forest staff was trying to control the blaze at Kado village, little was being done to control it at the two other sites where the locals pitched in.

Some hotels located on the Kimmughat-Chakki-ka-Mor road had pressed their staff into service to control the fire even as fire tenders from Kasauli were seen heading to the site.

Solan Divisional Forest Officer RS Jaswal said information had been received from Kado beat in Dharampur block, Johrjee beat, Chabal village as well as in Dochi area where fire control operations were underway. Another fire which had erupted around the Shoolini University near Sultanpur had been doused with the help of fire tenders and forest staff. Jaswal said fire in Dochi had been extinguished in the evening by the staff.