An eight-year-old child was killed and two people suffered burn injuries when a fire razed a wooden building in Arki sub division of Solan district early on Monday.
The blaze broke out around 2.45am near the old bus stand. The victim, identified as Priyansh, belonged to a migrant family from Bihar residing in the complex.
The fire spread rapidly through the aging wood structure, gutting 15 shops and trapping occupants.
Solan superintendent of police Gaurav Singh said that National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and SDRF teams were mobilised to assist local fire tenders from Arki, Shimla, and nearby industrial units. While the blaze has been contained, rescue teams continue to scour the debris for anyone reported missing.
Deputy commissioner Man Mohan Sharma has ordered an inquiry into the cause of the fire and announced immediate financial aid for the bereaved family. The two injured survivors are currently stable at Arki civil hospital.
Local MLA Sanjay Awasthi visited the scene to coordinate relief efforts, urging the administration to expedite compensation and support for affected shopkeepers.
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed grief over the incident and directed that immediate help be extended to the family of the deceased. He ordered the district administration to probe the incident.
