Deadly forest fire in northern India injures four forest department Workers
by ShravyaA devastating forest fire in northern India’s Uttarakhand has resulted in the tragic deaths of four forest department workers and left four others seriously injured.
The incident took place at Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary in Almora on June 13.
Visuals showed a fierce fire was raging through the forest, with flames leaping high into the air. The blaze spread rapidly, consuming everything in its path. The intense heat radiated outward, and thick plumes of smoke billowed up, darkening the sky.
A forest fire in Almora’s Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary has claimed the lives of four forest department workers while four others have suffered severe burns. The fire, which broke out on Thursday, quickly engulfed the area, trapping the firefighting team dispatched to extinguish it.
The deceased have been identified as Trilok Singh Mehta (40), a forest beat officer from Binsar Range; Diwan Ram (35), a daily wage laborer; Karan Arya (21), a fire watcher; and Puran Singh (50), a PRD personnel. The injured include Krishna Kumar (21), a fire watcher; Kundan Singh Negi (44), a PRD personnel; Bhagwat Singh Bhoj (38), a vehicle driver; and Kailash Bhatt (54), a daily wage laborer.
The fire was reportedly started by unidentified individuals. Upon receiving the alert, the forest department team rushed to the scene. However, as they strategize their fire fighting approach, the fire surrounded them, leading to the tragic outcome. Efforts to rescue the team were made by forest officials Manoj Sanwal and others, who managed to evacuate the injured personnel to Almora’s base hospital. Due to the severity of their burns, Krishna Kumar and Kundan Singh Negi were later referred to a higher center in Haldwani for advanced treatment.
This incident marks the deadliest forest fire season in Almora district, with the total death toll rising to nine. Earlier, on May 3, a similar fire in Syunarakot claimed the lives of two couples, and on May 16, a villager in Khai Katta lost his life while attempting to extinguish a fire.
The Superintendent of Base Hospital, Ashok Kumar, confirmed that two of the injured have sustained burns over fifty percent of their bodies and have been referred for specialized care, while the other two continue to receive treatment at the base hospital.
The incident has caused widespread grief among the families of the deceased, highlighting the ongoing peril of forest fires in the region.