Gutted houses at Gobindapur village in Sonepur. Telegraph picture

Sonepur, May 29: Nearly 150 families whose houses were gutted in yesterday’s fire at Gobindapur village in this district have taken shelter in different schools.

The district administration has decided to provide cooked food to the fire victims for three days while it is assessing the loss incurred by them because of the fire.

More than 450 houses were gutted in the fire.

Though the real reason behind the fire is yet to be ascertained, villagers said the fire originated from some waste straw behind a house.

Sarat Kumar Panda, a fire victim, said that the villagers were facing a lot of problems at the relief centre in the schools of Subalaya, about 2km from the village.

“Women and children who have taken shelter at the relief camp are facing lot of difficulties. The district administration has not done enough to ensure drinking water supply for the fire victims at camp,” Panda said.

Aniruddha Naik, another fire victim, said: “I lost everything in the fire. We remained mute spectators as our years of earnings and other valuables turned into ashes.”

“Just a couple of days ago, I had got my son married. But now without a house, the newly wed bride is taking shelter in the house of another villager,” he said.

Five fire-fighting teams from Sonepur, Birmaharajpur, Ulunda and Boudh were engaged to extinguish the fire. Officer of Birmaharajpur fire station Manoj Kumar Behera, who arrived first with his team, said that fire had already engulfed the village when he reached there.

“When I reached the village I saw fire everywhere. We immediately sprung into action to extinguish the fire. I also intimated the administration to send the fire-fighting teams from other places and neighbouring districts,” Behera said.

Birmaharajpur sub-collector Amulya Kumar Panda said that situation had been brought under control and the administration was trying its best to provide proper relief to the victims.

“The administration is also conducting a survey to assess the loss incurred by the victims so that they are properly compensated. We will act according to the relief code and leave no stone unturned to help the victims,” Panda said.