Himvani.
Dalhousie. (26th Jan): The morning chill of Dalhousie was today broken by the frenzy of people, not because it was The Republic Day but due to the reason that a heritage building of the town had caught fire at about six o’clock. The building which housed the local State Bank of India branch and an ATM was reduced to ashes. This building formed the part of a famous hotel of Dalhousie town which had been running since the Raj era.
Although the State Bank of India branch and the hotel suffered heavy losses but fortunately there was no human casualty. The cause of the fire is being prima facie attributed to a short circuit. The owner of the building, who incidentally is also the President of Dalhousie Municipal Council and resided in the same building suffered heavy losses as their house was also gutted.
Unrelenting efforts put in by the personnels of the Indian Air Force and the Army, who had pressed in their fire tenders, along with the local people helped in putting off the fire and restricting it from spreading to the nearby buildings. Fire tenders from NHPC and State Fire Services from Chamba also reached the spot.
Ex minster and Gen Sec. H.P. Congress, Mrs Asha Kumari also reached the spot to condole the family for their losses.
There was anxiety in the minds of the people of the town who either held an account in the bank or were in possession of a locker as whole of the bank was reduced to rubble.
