Fire Mishap in Amritsar due to Bonfire; 2 dead, one critical

January 14, 2026

A massive fire broke out late Tuesday night in a house in Gali Choor Singh, near Mana Singh Chowk in Amritsar. An elderly man was burned alive in the blaze, while a disabled young woman succumbed to her injuries. Preliminary investigations suggest the fire was caused by sparks from a bonfire lit for the Lohri festival.

Five people were present in the house when the fire started. Three were rescued with the help of neighbors and locals, one of whom is reported to be in critical condition. According to residents, a large quantity of flammable material (including religious scarves) was stored in the house, causing the fire to spread rapidly within seconds.

The homeowner stated that a spark from the Lohri bonfire landed on clothes kept inside the house, igniting the fire. Neighbors made strenuous efforts to rescue the family members, but the elderly father was unable to get out. He could not be rescued even by around 1 AM.

The narrow lane posed a challenge; fire brigade extinguished the fire from 100 meters away

SHO Balwinder Singh of B-Division police station said that two people, including the disabled young woman, died in the incident. A thorough investigation into the cause of the fire is underway. Due to the extremely narrow lane, fire brigade vehicles had to be parked about 100 meters away, after which the firefighters reached the spot and attempted to extinguish the fire.

The mayor visits the spot, assures help to the affected family

Upon receiving information about the incident, Mayor Jatinder Singh Moti Bhatia also reached the spot. He said that the fire was reported around 11:30 PM. The SHO, fire brigade personnel, and local residents risked their lives to rescue three people from the fire. The Mayor said that the administration stands with the affected family and will provide all possible assistance.