Rohru: Wooden Temple of Baan Devta Gutted in Devastating Fire at Bhashla’s Malghoon
A massive fire broke out at the revered Baan Devta temple in Bhashla village of Malghoon area in Rohru subdivision on Tuesday, reducing large portions of the centuries-old wooden structure to ashes.
According to locals, flames were first noticed in the early hours and quickly engulfed the temple, which was constructed largely of deodar wood. The wooden architecture and strong winds turned the blaze into an inferno within minutes, leaving villagers helpless.
As the fire spread rapidly, hundreds of villagers rushed to the spot and attempted to douse the flames using water and mud, forming human chains in a desperate effort to save the sacred shrine. However, the intensity of the fire made it nearly impossible to control.
No fire tender had reached the remote village till the time the blaze was raging, locals alleged, adding that poor road connectivity and the temple’s location on a hilltop delayed any official response. By the time help could be mobilised, the temple had already suffered extensive damage.
Though no loss of life was reported, religious artefacts, wooden carvings, and offerings inside the temple are feared to have been destroyed.
The incident has left the local community deeply shaken, as the Baan Devta temple holds immense religious and cultural significance for the surrounding villages.
The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Revenue and police officials have been informed and are expected to assess the damage and initiate an inquiry.
The district administration has assured assistance to the affected villagers and said measures would be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
The fire once again highlights the vulnerability of Himachal Pradesh’s traditional wooden temples and the urgent need for better fire safety measures and quicker emergency response systems in remote hill areas.
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