Meghalaya: Fire destroys PHE dept storage in Shillong

Shillong: A major fire ripped through the Meghalaya Public Health Engineering (PHE) department's storage facility in Shanmari, Lumshyiap in Shillong on Saturday afternoon.

Thick black smoke filled the sky as flames engulfed the storage area, which contained large quantities of flexible plastic pipes (HDPE pipes), locals said.

Fire tender officials suspect the blaze originated in a nearby forest and spread to the storage facility. The MeECL swiftly cut electricity to the area as a precaution, restoring power once the fire was contained.

Phira Khongphai, the Rangbah Shnong of Lumshyiap, alerted the Meghalaya Fire and Emergency Services upon noticing the fire around 3 pm. Firefighters arrived quickly and deployed 8-10 tenders to extinguish the inferno.

Initial reports suggest children playing with fire in the forest might have sparked the blaze. The exact cause remains under investigation, said an official.

PHE Executive Engineer A Sunn estimates the fire caused loss of approximately Rs 80-85 lakh. The department plans to discuss fencing the property with the Dorbar Shnong (local council) to prevent future incidents.

The Rangbah Shnong has announced that the Executive Committee will hold a meeting to discuss fire safety measures and advisories for the community.