One summer, when I was strolling in the evening in the East-Patel Nagar, a very crowed area of the city, I heard shout of ‘fire, fire’, I rushed to the spot and found, to my alarm, a big house on fire. The cause of fire was said to be some defect in the electric fitting in the building. I rang up the fire-brigade, gave them the information and asked them to come there at once.
In a moment, the thick smoke covered the locality. A large number of the people had already gathered there. The crowd was highly excited and the people were trying to save whatever they could from the terrible fire. The flames were shooting high up to the sky. Many valuable articles lay scattered in the street. Everyone was trying to his best to put out the fire, but it did not prove of much avail. The flames rolled on all the sides and I noticed many people running away from their houses in dread and despair.
The Fire-brigade came soon. The firemen took no time in setting up their pipe line and started working enthusiastically with their hoses, fighting the raging fire. Every drop of water they poured was having its effect, though apparently it seemed only to increase the fury of flames. The water played right on the fire at least for two hours and then the fire was brought under control. The local resident also rendered the valuable help. The women and the children of the house on the fire had already been evacuated quite safe and all furniture’s and valuable items had been removed before the fire took place terrible turn. The flames were now dying out, and instead of smoke, there was a columns of hot vapour. The great building was, however, reduced to ashes.
The Fire-brigade left the place after having finished their job. The owner of the house and the member of the family stood away in the corner looking at the burnt down building with wistful longing and look sad. Their pitiful condition brought tears to my eyes. The loss of property was estimated to be one lac rupees. Some people sustained minor injuries but fortunately there were no loss of life. The owner of the house thanked his stars that his wife, children, ornament and furniture were safe after all, though the loss he had suffered was considerable.
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