On 29th January 2024, a devastating fire broke out at Singtam Mandi Bazar in Sikkim, causing significant destruction and loss. Local people reported that this incident occurred around 10:00 PM late at night on Monday. Despite the extensive property damage, it was fortunate that no human casualties were reported yet. The combined efforts of firefighters and local residents were come out to be helpful in extinguishing the fire successfully.
In the fire incident that broke out at Singtam late last night, two wooden structures, a small Pan shop and a few hawker’s vegetable shops were gutted, as reported from the ground. Immediately after the incident, fire tenders from Singtam, Rangpo, Gangtok and the Army were mobilised to douse off the fire. Station House Officer (SHO) Singtam, his team, the Nagar Panchayat President and his team along with the local people helped mitigate the situation. As the town of Singtam struggled with this unfortunate incident, the full extent of the damage is yet to be determined. However, the swift response and teamwork displayed by emergency services and the community highlight the resilience and solidarity of the people in the face of adversity.
At present, the field teams under District Administration Gangtok are taking a detailed assessment of the damages caused. The office of the Chairman cum District Collector, District Disaster Management Authority, Gangtok will be disbursing ex-gratia to the victims as per the standing State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) norms. This tragic event marks the second major fire incident in Singtam within three years, with a similar occurrence having taken place in Lall Bazar area in the year 2020.
