Fire destroys Riverside campsite in Himachal’s in Barot of Chhota Bhangal

Himachalscape bureau June 9, 2025 2 minutes read

Shimla, June 9

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A massive blaze tore through a private riverside campsite in Dharangan village, falling under Sub-Tehsil Tikkan of Chhota Bhangal in Kangra district, reducing the entire property to ashes and causing an estimated loss of over ₹38.93 lakh.

The fire broke out late last night, around 9:24 PM, reportedly triggered by a suspected gas cylinder leakage in the kitchen area. In a matter of minutes, the flames engulfed the entire structure—comprising the main restaurant, kitchen, and storage facilities—leaving nothing behind but charred remains.

Camp owner Chaman Lal, son of Mati Ram, confirmed that despite immediate efforts to douse the flames and villagers rushing to help, the intensity of the fire was too high to control. Items destroyed include crockery, bedding, solar geysers, sound systems, and custom-made wooden interiors—all reduced to cinders.

Rohit Thakur, the local Patwari, conducted a damage assessment and verified that the estimated losses have crossed ₹38 lakh. Officials from the administration revisited the site on Monday morning to complete a detailed damage evaluation.

Dr. Ramesh Thakur, the Panchayat Pradhan, voiced grave concern over the lack of firefighting infrastructure in the region. He appealed to the district authorities to provide immediate relief to the affected family and expedite the establishment of a fire station in Barot or Multhan. “Remote areas like Chauhar and Bada Bhangal frequently witness such devastating incidents, but support and compensation are woefully inadequate,” he said.

This is the third major fire reported in the Barot region this year. On February 16, five shops were gutted in Lambadag market, and on March 23, two kiosks caught fire in Lakda Bazar. These recurring incidents highlight the growing vulnerability of the region’s wooden architecture and tourism infrastructure.

While intermittent pre-monsoon showers have brought brief respite from soaring temperatures across Himachal Pradesh, heatwave conditions earlier this season had already led to a spike in fire-related emergencies. The latest disaster has reignited the debate around fire preparedness in ecologically and culturally sensitive hill zones, where narrow roads, lack of fire stations, and absence of early-warning systems severely hamper timely response.

As investigations continue, locals are demanding urgent upgrades to disaster response systems, particularly in remote and tourism-heavy valleys like Chhota Bhangal, where traditional craftsmanship and livelihoods remain under constant threat.

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The HimachalScape Bureau comprises seasoned journalists from Himachal Pradesh with over 25 years of experience in leading media conglomerates such as The Times of India and United News of India. Known for their in-depth regional insights, the team brings credible, research-driven, and balanced reportage on Himachal’s socio-political and developmental landscape.

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