KATHMANDU: As many as 95 people lost their lives in fire incidents across the country in the fiscal year 2018/19, a home ministry data said.

Fires caused property losses worth Rs 4.88 billion in the same year.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the year saw an increase of 75 percent in property losses in fire accidents compared to last fiscal year 2017/18. In the fiscal year 2016/17, fire accidents caused property damage worth Rs 1.661 billion.

The ministry said that the fire accidents in the fiscal year 2018/19 were mainly caused due to lack of awareness about the safe use of electrical appliances as well as rapid urbanization.