Two houses gutted

MANSEHRA: Two houses were gutted and household goods worth millions were reduced to ashes in the Battal area here on Thursday, police officials said.

“We have extinguished the fire after a hectic effort of hours and started an investigation to ascertain the exact cause behind the fire incident, which occurred early in the day,” station house officer of Battal Police Station, Aurangzeb Tanoli, told reporters.

According to locals, unidentified people set houses of Arif Shah and his brother Anwar Shah on fire and managed to flee from the scene.A police party led by SHO Aurangzeb Tanoli rushed to the spot in the Palkoi Singalkot area and extinguished the fire with the help of locals. No loss of life was reported in the incident.“We have launched an inquiry to unearth the exact cause behind the incident,” Tanoli said. He said that household goods dumped at both houses were reduced to ashes.