Irate residents of Thangmeiband Hijam Dewan Leikai, Imphal caused damage to a water tanker of the fire service allegedly for coming without water when called for fighting fire at a house in the locality at around 8:30 pm yesterday.
The fire incident occurred at a rented plot belonging to Loitongbam Tombi, 60. It is believed that a short circuit in a rice cooker left unattended on the upper storey of the grocery shop caused the fire.
According to enraged residents since the fire department allegedly did not respond to their repeated phone calls for help they had to bring the fire tanker parked near Khoyathong Pukhri Achouba to douse the fire.
But, when the water tanker reached the spot the local residents found it empty which enraged them and they allegedly caused damage to the ‘empty water tanker’ belonging to the state fire department.
The loss of property in the fire incident is estimated to be around Rs 20 including commodities and articles stocked at the grocery shop and its adjacent godown including mortgaged gold and ornaments.
In another fire incident, a Maruti van carrying people who were returning back from a Ningol Chakouba feast caught fire at Lilong at around 5 pm yesterday. As per available reports there was no casualty in the fire incident involving the ill-fated van bearing registration number MN06 L 3601.
Source: Imphal Free Press
