By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 13 Jun: A tragic incident occurred in the Almora district of Uttarakhand today when a forest vehicle on duty to fight forest fire in district Almora suddenly caught fire, resulting in the death of four forest department employees. The event took place in the vicinity of the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary in Almora district.
Initial reports indicate that the employees were en route to combat the forest blaze when their vehicle was engulfed in flames. Tragically, all four occupants of the vehicle could not manage to get out in time and perished in the fire. Additionally, several other employees sustained severe burns and are currently receiving treatment at a local hospital in district Almora.
Speaking to Garhwal Post, Additional Chief Forest Conservator (Fires and Disaster Management) Nishant Verma, confirmed the preliminary reports of four fatalities among the forest department staff. He added that investigation is underway to ascertain the specifics of the incident, including its cause and timeline. Senior officials from the Kumaon region have been dispatched to the scene.
It is worth noting that this is not the first such occurrence in Almora district, as previously, five individuals fell victim to a similar incident only recently. It may also be recalled that after a brief lull when the rains had doused the forest fires in the state, the forests are yet again raging with fires as the heat wave continues across the state and record level of temperatures are being recorded even in the hills.
Reports are being received from various districts including Pauri, Uttarkashi and Nainital of forest fires. So far, more than 1,600 hectares of forest have been badly damaged due to forest fire this season in Uttarakhand.
