Mother, three children killed in Parsi-Parlo house fire

ITANAGAR – A woman and her three young children were killed when a fire tore through a residential cluster in Parsi-Parlo, a remote town in Arunachal Pradesh’s Kurung Kumey district, in the early hours of Thursday, 12 November. The woman’s husband has not been found, and the district’s top official has warned that the death toll may rise.

Twenty-four houses were caught in the Parsi-Parlo fire. Nineteen were burnt to the ground and five were partly damaged, according to figures from the District Disaster Management Officer quoted by PTI.

How the Parsi-Parlo fire spread

The blaze started at about 2.30 am, when most residents were asleep, and moved quickly to neighbouring houses. A video of the aftermath circulating on social media shows rows of collapsed tin roofing still smouldering after daybreak.

The four victims were members of one family: the mother, two sons and a daughter. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Parsi-Parlo Nabam Tajik confirmed that all four belonged to the same household, The Sentinel reported. Their names and ages had not been made public by Thursday afternoon.

“The casualty figure might go up,” Kurung Kumey Deputy Commissioner Cheechung Chukhu said, as the search for the missing husband continued. A team of officials travelled from the district headquarters at Koloriang on Thursday morning to oversee rescue and relief work.

No fire station in Parsi-Parlo

Parsi-Parlo has no fire station of its own. The nearest fire tender is based in Koloriang, roughly 38 km away, and it did not reach the town in time to stop the flames from spreading, according to The Assam Tribune. NKTV reported that the vehicle was in poor condition.

What is known and what is not

• Confirmed: a mother and her three minor children died; the husband is missing; 19 houses were gutted and five partly damaged, according to the district disaster management office.
• Not yet established: the cause of the fire. Early reports suggest it may have started in a kitchen, but officials have not confirmed this.
• Figures differ: NKTV put the number of gutted houses at 25, while The Sentinel said about 30 shops and houses were destroyed. Reports also differ on whether the fire began at 2 am or 2.30 am.
• Not yet announced: the identities of the victims, and any ex gratia payment or relief package for affected families.

Chief Minister and Nyishi youth body respond

Chief Minister Pema Khandu said in a post on X that he was “deeply saddened by the devastating fire incident in Parsi-Parlo Circle of Kurung Kumey district”. He thanked the district administration, police, fire services, emergency responders, volunteers and residents, and directed officials to give the affected families all necessary help, The Pioneer reported.

The All Nyishi Youth Association (ANYA), led by president Jamru Ruja, urged the state government to provide immediate relief and rehabilitation. The association said it would launch a donation drive and send a team to Parsi-Parlo to help the families who lost their homes.

Kurung Kumey is a hilly district in central Arunachal Pradesh, largely inhabited by the Nyishi community with its headquarters at Koloriang. Nagaland.News has also covered the debate over the Siang mega dam in Arunachal Pradesh.

This is a developing story and will be updated as officials release more details.