MITHI: A huge fire completely destroyed 22 thatched houses of poor Meghwar community in Man Bai Jo Taar village in Chhachbro tehsil on Saturday.

The deadly fire that raged for more than four hours reduced to ashes half a million cash, dowry items of eight girls, 150 tola gold, clothes, hundreds of kilos ofstored corn, fodder, cots, beds and other household belongings and burnt alive five calves and 20 goats.

A woman also suffered burns and was admitted to Chhachbro tehsil hospital.

The villagers said that they had repeatedly made calls to the Chhachhro town committee and informed the officials concerned about the incident but no fire tender was send to put off the fire thatwas brought under control by villagers themselves.

According to sources in the town committee, a four-wheel drive fire tender had been sent to mechanic for repairs about a month and a half ago while the other twowheel drive tender was reserved for supplying water to the bungalows of influential waderas and officials.

According to a rough estimate, the fire caused loss of more than Rs10 million.