As the flames died down in Dhamangaon, the scale of destruction became painfully clear — not just homes, but years of savings, harvest, and hard work were reduced to ashes within minutes, leaving villagers staring at an uncertain future ahead of the sowing season.
“We have nothing left except the clothes we are wearing. All our yield, savings, documents, ration, and food have been gutted. We cannot rebuild. It would have been better if we had died in the fire,” said affected farmer Prafulla Chaudhari.
The fire has left the village in shock, with the loss of stored crops, seeds, and household essentials deepening the crisis. “Just last month, we stocked our yearly ration. We had 50 sacks of chana and soybean seeds for the coming season. Everything is gone,” Chaudhari said. “Our 5.25 tola gold, savings, and even our children’s documents — nothing remains. How do we start again?”
On Sunday, residents moved between the burnt remains of their homes and the gram panchayat office seeking information on relief and rehabilitation. Despite visits by officials and public representatives, many villagers said they were still waiting for concrete assurances and immediate government support to rebuild their homes and restart farming.
“I built this house brick by brick over the years… now it’s all ashes. From next month, the sowing season begins — should we rebuild our home or prepare for farming?” asked farmer Vilas Tayde.
Villagers said the fire spread rapidly, leaving little time to save belongings. Amid the chaos, residents risked their lives to remove LPG cylinders from burning homes and rescue livestock. While many animals were saved, some suffered burn injuries and several are still missing.
Rajni Kokate, who narrowly escaped the blaze, recalled the terrifying moments. “When I stepped out, I saw multiple houses on fire. We managed to remove the gas cylinder and our two-wheeler, but could not save anything else,” she said.
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