large tracts of forests were destroyed in a fire that erupted in the Chandaka Forest Division near here on Wednesday morning.
Sources said the elephant sanctuary caught fire at around 10 am. Around 15 forest officials tried to bring the fire under control, but in vain. later, firefighters were pressed into service to douse the flame. The fire brigade officials along with some local villagers took nearly two hours to douse the fire completely.
“We are trying our best to douse the fire which engulfed a huge area of the forest,” said a firefighter.
Though the exact reason behind the mishap is yet to be ascertained, it is suspected that the forest caught fire due to negligence of some youths, who had gone there for picnic.