It was noon of a very hot and burning day. I was sleeping soundly under the electric fan in the innermost room of my house when I was awakened by a sudden noise.
I came out and hastened to the direction of the noise. Soon after I had taken a turn at the corner of the street, I saw many men rushing in that direction.
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When we had gone a few steps further I saw smoke rising into the sky. A few paces more brought flames into my sight and in no time, I was in front of the house. Flames were rising from the upper storey. I was horrified to see the house ablaze.
It was the house of Lala Gopi Das, the well-known wheat dealer of the town. He had built the house only a few years ago and managed to maintain it in a fit and nice condition. It was a splendid building, three-storied, well-built, with green doors and light blue windows.
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The fire had started owing to negligence on the part of the servant, who unfortunately left a bottle of kerosene oil near the kitchen hearth. A cat in the act of springing at the place containing some eatables spilled the oil on the live coals which burst into flames.
They soon caught the painted shelf and the cupboard immediately above the hearth and spread on. The adjoining storeroom which had ghee and other things stored in it was soon ablaze. It quickly spread to fuel store adjoining the store-room.
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The owners, who had retired to rest after their mid-day meal in a cool room in the corner farthest from the kitchen, were quite unaware of it.
The fire had not been noticed till it had spread to the roofs of most of the rooms. The houses nearly were also in great danger. On one side was the house of a poor labourer. On the other, there was a fairly large building.
A large number of spectators had gathered. In spite of the intense heat which hardly allowed them to stand near, some of them were very seriously busy in putting out the fire with pails and buckets of water which they had brought from the neighboring houses.
Others were feeling sorry of the pitiable condition of the owner, while some others were idly and indifferently watching the fire spread. The owner of the house, sad and miserable, was confused at what was happening. Like a man dazed, he was running madly about the house crying out to some one here and some one there to take out this thing and that.
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In a state of helplessness, his wife quietly watched the whole scene. She looked stunned. The grown-up son of the merchant was out of station and could not, therefore, share the anxiety of the family. All was confusion, usual at such occasions.
One of the gentlemen assembled ran off to the Municipal Office and with the great haste brought the fire engine. The arrival of the engine was a great relief to the master of the house. The engine soon began to ply water on the fire.
It was a tough fight for the first half an hour after which the flames that were leaping up to the sky a short while ago began to die down and soon after the fire was brought under control. Then it took the firemen about half an hour to master the smouldering embers and the terrible configuration was over.
The indifferent watchers and spectators began to disappear from the scene. The owner of the house heaved a sigh of relief. The house looked a heap of debris. The firemen and other people felt glad at their success.
Fortunately, there was no loss of life. I he house was completely gutted and the loss amounted to fifty thousand rupees. The building was not insured.
The servant through whose negligence the fire had been caused, was in terrible fear. But the master was in no mood to criticize or condemn him. He thanked God that he had to suffer only monetary loss and all lives had been saved.