Guwahati: Four members of a family, including three children, died after a fire engulfed Parsi-Parlo town in Arunachal Pradesh’s Kurung Kumey district early Thursday.
Deputy Commissioner Cheechung Chukhu said the victims were a woman, her two sons and her daughter. Her husband remains missing, and the toll could rise, he added.
The fire destroyed 19 houses and left five others partially damaged.
The blaze reportedly started around 2.30 am and spread quickly through neighbouring houses. Initial information suggests that the fire may have started in a kitchen, but its exact cause remains unknown.
Chukhu said the final casualty count and extent of property damage would be known only after an assessment.
A team of district officials travelled from Koloriang, the district headquarters, to Parsi-Parlo on Thursday morning to supervise rescue and relief work.
Sources said Parsi-Parlo has no fire station, while the nearest fire tender is stationed about 38 km away in Koloriang. The distance and delayed arrival of the fire tender affected efforts to extinguish the blaze.