BHOJPUR: Properties worth over Rs 2.6 million were destroyed when a house caught fire in Bhojpur.

The fire started from a butter lamp lit for the Laxmi Puja ritual during Tihar festival, it is said.

The house of one Gyan Raj Bista at Bhojpur Municiplity-8 was damaged in the fire caused by the lamp lit for the Laxmi Puja, destroying properties worth over Rs 2.6 million, said Inspector Dal Bahadur Rai, information officer for the district police office, Bhojpur.

The two-storied house of Bista was burnt down due to the blaze, and clothes, food, gold jewelries worth more than Rs 2.6 million, and cash of Rs 15,000 were also destroyed, he said. The fire was doused with the help of the district police office, Nepal Army, local people and a fire engine.

Meanwhile, a house was burnt down in a fire caused by a butter lamp lit for the Laxmi Puja at Himabi of Khandbari Municipality-1 in Sankhuwasabha district. The house belonging to one Lila Rai was destroyed last night, said Inspector Ram Kumar Lamichhane at the district police office, Sankhuwasabha.

However, there were no casualties in the blaze, he said, adding that clothes and food stored in Rai’s house were burnt in the fire. The blaze was brought under control one hour later with the help of Nepal Army, Nepal Police and local people. Rs 31,000 cash was burnt, and a tempo parked in the house premises was also damaged, he said. Details of the losses in the fire are yet to come out, said the police.

RSS