A devastating fire swept through a village in Andhra Pradesh’s Kakinada district on Monday, destroying at least 32 houses and leaving dozens of families without shelter, according to officials. The incident caused widespread damage to property and livelihoods, even though no loss of life or injuries were reported.
The blaze broke out in the early hours of the morning at Sarlanka village, which falls under the Prathipadu Assembly constituency. Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire was likely triggered by a gas leak. Due to the closely packed nature of the settlement and the highly flammable materials used in construction, the fire spread rapidly from one house to another.
Officials said that most of the affected homes were thatched structures, which allowed the flames to engulf entire rows of houses within minutes. Villagers were caught off guard and had little time to react, forcing many families to flee in panic. Several residents escaped with nothing more than the clothes they were wearing, as their homes, household goods, and personal belongings were completely reduced to ashes. Despite the extensive destruction, authorities confirmed that there were no reported casualties.
Following the incident, local MLA Varupula Satyaprabha instructed officials to begin immediate relief operations for those affected. Police personnel and fire department teams rushed to the scene soon after receiving information about the blaze. Firefighters worked for several hours to bring the fire under control and to ensure that it did not spread to nearby areas.
Authorities have since begun a detailed assessment of the damage to determine the full extent of losses suffered by residents. At the same time, arrangements are being made to provide temporary shelter, essential supplies, and other forms of assistance to the families rendered homeless, as part of ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts.
