Face2News/Solan

The search operation to trace six Nepali nationals missing since a massive fire engulfed a building in Arki Bazaar of Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district has intensified, with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and a dog squad joining the effort on Tuesday.

The six individuals are suspected to be trapped under the debris. Officials said the four-storey building, which housed migrant families, was completely gutted in the fire that broke out late Sunday night. Several nearby structures also sustained damage.

So far, the deaths of three people, including an eight-year-old child, have been confirmed. Officials said the child died while being taken to hospital, while charred and mutilated remains of two others were recovered from the site.

Rescue operations are being hampered due to the large volume of debris. Authorities said teams from the district administration, police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Home Guards and the fire department have been deployed at the site since the incident. On Tuesday morning, NDRF personnel and a canine squad were inducted to strengthen the search.

Arki Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Nishant Tomar said DNA samples of family members of the missing persons have been collected to establish identities. He added that identification of the recovered remains will be possible only after DNA test reports are received.

The building, owned by Rajiv Gupta, was constructed with mud and wood and was completely reduced to ashes. The ground and first floors housed commercial shops, while the upper two floors were used for residential purposes. Eyewitnesses reported hearing six to seven loud explosions, suspected to be cylinder blasts, which are believed to have intensified the fire.

According to the administration, all three deceased persons and the six missing individuals are Nepali nationals, residents of Salyan district in Nepal’s Karnali Province. Of the nine affected persons, five are minors.

Police have registered a case under Section 287 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for negligent conduct with fire or combustible substances. Solan Deputy Commissioner Manmohan Sharma has ordered a detailed inquiry into the cause of the fire.