Kalimpong, January 28, 2015:
 Last night around 12:00 am a short-circuit in a sweet shop took a gigantic shape damaging more than 20 shops and houses concluding with zero causalities which people consider as a miracle in Pedong bazaar that is 21 kilometers away from Kalimpong town, block 2.

The circuit in a shop slowly spread to the neighboring shops and flamed everything into ashes where nothing could be saved besides lives, everyone is safe but all of their earned wealth along with their houses have been burnt, informs Vicky Gupta, an inhabitant from Pedong.

The fire alarming the hamlet and burning the properties down was the only visual seen at night which could be controlled if a fire services had been allotted permanently in Pedong believes the people who witnessed the fire. ‘it’s been more than 20 years that we have been demanding for a fire crew and its station here to no avail, had our demand been fulfilled on time, the fire wouldn’t take such a massive shape today’ said Basant Kanu who witnessed the night of flames, adding to that he said ‘witnessing the rage of the fire we thought no one would survive.’

Even after 12 years the situation is still the same in the outskirts of Kalimpong, expresses Vicky Gupta referring the case of 2002 in St. George hostel, ‘we vividly remember the fire that broke in the hostel, the fire service was out of time, it was the Army who rescued the children then, similar is the case today, it was the Army’ from 164 Mountain Brigade that reached on time, that’s how we have no causalities today’ added Gupta.

According to the conversation with the victims, one Sunil Agrawal whose 4 shops burnt into ashes, making him homeless within 5 hours said, ‘The shapeless fire turned disruptive and no one was there to control, I helplessly watched my shops (shoe, electronic and a clothing shops along with a hotel) crumble down, everything is damaged.’

In the onset of schools, tons of stationeries along with the fabric of school uniforms were recently arrived which added flames easily. The LPG cylinder’s flare-up after 2-3 hours of the fire made the conflagration swifter that caught other wooden houses that’s when the Army volunteered to lit-off the fire. It was informed that the Kalimpong fire brigade reached the site after two hours (i.e at 02:00 am) followed by Mal bazar fire brigade and Rangpoo fire brigade.

Meanwhile the member of 40 number constituency Dawa Lepcha said, ‘the estimated loss comes in a figure of 7 crore approximately, that is looking at the damages of 28 Pucca houses (including 9 shops and 2 godowns) and partial damage of 20 houses (including 14 shops and 2 godowns)’ he further added that the prior thing to be done is to look after their basic requirement like the provision of food and shelter which has been arranged in the community hall for 47 people.

People have also opened a committee named as Pedong fire victim relief committee with the expectation to raise funds from the well wishers in their newly opened account 120000558080 in Darjeeling District Central Co-operative Bank, Pedong.

All the worried designators like the SDO- Radhika Aiyer, DMDC-Pritam Limboo, Joint BDO-Darshana Subba and other members of the constituencies had visited the spot.

GTA Cheif Bimal Gurung to have express his thought through his Bimal Gurung officail FB page
"I am deeply saddened to hear about the terrible fire that broke out at Pedong last night.
My thoughts are with the people of Pedong and I would assure them that our party and the GTA would stand by them during this difficult time.
Our party is immediately sending relief materials including food grains for the fire victims and all our Executive Members and Executive Directors to take stock of the situation.
I will head for Pedong tomorrow straight from the airport .
I would appeal to all our party workers, Elected & Nominated members from GTA area, NGOs and Social Organizations to usher all help for the fire victims in Pedong.