A fire in Halesi Bazaar on Sunday evening caused damages exceeding Rs75 million, destroying houses, hotels, and businesses.

According to Acting Chief District Officer Hiradhan Rai, the blaze destroyed a three-storey wooden and corrugated sheet house owned by Padam Sher Rai. The building housed a hardware store on the ground floor and the office of Nirdhan Utthan Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha on the second floor, resulting in losses of around Rs40 million.

Similarly, Airakh Rai’s New Kalyan Hotel, a four-storey concrete structure and a two-storey wooden house at the back, suffered damages estimated at Rs25 million. Prakash Chandra Giri’s Halesi Darshan Hotel sustained partial damage, with a one-storey iron-truss kitchen and a two-storey concrete building incurring losses of Rs3 million.

Additionally, Bharansher Rai’s Paruhang Hotel suffered damage to the second and third floors of a four-storey concrete building, with losses estimated at Rs5 million. Acting CDO Rai said preliminary assessments put the total damages at around Rs75 million.

The fire broke out around 7pm at Padam Sher Rai’s gas shop and was brought under control after three and a half hours, at around 10:30pm. Nearly 500 people, including personnel from the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, Nepal Police, local government officials, and residents, were involved in firefighting efforts.