A fire destroyed a house in ward 5 of Meringden Rural Municipality, Taplejung.

The blaze completely gutted the two-storey wooden house with a corrugated sheet roof, along with food supplies, cash, and other belongings.

The house belonged to Santosh Tamang, who suffered losses exceeding Rs600,000. According to Police Inspector Vivek Basnet, the information officer at the District Police Office in Taplejung, the fire destroyed food items, Rs70,000 in cash, and other household possessions.

Preliminary investigations suggest the fire started from a stove used to prepare animal feed near the house. Strong winds in the area likely contributed to the rapid spread of the flames.

Authorities have urged residents to exercise caution when using fire, especially in open or windy areas, to prevent similar incidents. Deputy Superintendent of Police Ravi Rawal said the local police are actively raising awareness in the community to mitigate fire risks.