Tura, March 30: Grief was all around the village of Asil Mindil village of Songsak Block in East Garo Hills where as many as nine houses got totally destroyed in a fire that was set off by the snapping of a 11 kV high powered line which fell on people’s homes in the morning of Tuesday.

According to Block Development Officer Mrs. D G Momin, the incident took place sometime around 8:30 AM when a big tree fell on the high tension wire causing it to snap and fall on rooftops.

Villagers said that a heavy storm on Monday night may have accelerated the tree to give way and fall.

As soon as the wire snapped and landed on the roofs it ignited a fire that spread fast due to the nature of the houses which were either tin-roofed or thatched bamboo.

According to block officials, four houses were completely destroyed along with outside kitchens, 2 rice storing rooms and two village quarters constructed to provide shelter for two school teachers working in the village school.

Villagers who are providing shelter to the victims of the incident narrate that they lost everything in their home which included beds, dining tables, kitchen utensils, all their clothes and money too.

In another case, a villager from Botegre in Jengjal under Rongram Block also lost his house due to a lightning strike during Monday night’s storm. The victim, Ental Sangma of Botegre, Jengjal region, was asleep when lightning struck his house causing a fire that also destroyed everything. He barely managed to escape with his life.