Charred remains of seven bodies were found by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team from Arki bazar on Tuesday during search operations after a massive fire broke out on Sunday night. With these recoveries, the death toll has risen to 10, as three people had died earlier.
On Monday, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team had found the remains of two bodies along with the body of an eight-year-old boy from the debris.
The team resumed search operations Tuesday morning to trace those still missing, using trained sniffer dogs. The first body was found around 9.45 am. As the operation continued, teams had to demolish unsafe and damaged walls that posed a risk to rescuers. Between 12.45 pm and 1.15 pm, more charred remains were recovered from under the rubble.
Nine Nepalese nationals — including two men, two women and five children — were reported missing in the fire. Solan Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh said the recovered remains were burnt beyond recognition and have been sent to the forensic science laboratory for DNA testing.
Officials said the affected area is very narrow, making rescue work difficult. The debris had been shifted to the nearby Chowgan ground, where search operations resumed on Wednesday to locate any remaining bodies.
Several burnt LPG cylinders were also seized from the site where tragedy happened. Police have initiated legal action after identifying the owners of the cylinders. The SP said the fire intensified after multiple LPG cylinders exploded.
A joint inspection by the tehsildar, a Food and Civil Supplies Department inspector and police officials found eight domestic LPG cylinders of 14.2 kg each inside the gutted building, three of which had exploded.
Officials said the presence of such a large number of domestic LPG cylinders indicated possible hoarding. While 5-kg cylinders do not amount to a violation, the storage of multiple 14.2-kg cylinders raised serious concerns, said Food and Civil Supplies Inspector Ramswarup. The authorised Indian Oil Corporation gas depot in Arki has been asked to sumit a report.
Local residents alleged that diesel was also stored in the gutted buildings and sold at high prices, though this claim is yet to be verified. Forensic experts are expected to determine the exact cause of the multiple explosions reported during the blaze, which spread to nearby shops and houses.
A coordinated rescue operation was carried out despite unstable structures, involving 34 Home Guards personnel, 35 police personnel, 10 SDRF members and 33 NDRF personnel.
Meanwhile, Public Works Department staff inspected nearby buildings damaged in the fire and will submit a safety report after a technical assessment.
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