KATHMANDU: The onset of the dry season has led to a significant increase in fire incidents across Koshi Province.

According to the Provincial Police Office, a staggering total of 488 fire incidents have been reported in Koshi Province over the past three months.

SP Deepak Pokharel from the Koshi Provincial Police Office revealed that among these incidents, 12 individuals tragically lost their lives, while 24 others sustained injuries.

One particularly devastating incident occurred last Saturday in Bhojpur, where three minors from the same family lost their lives.

Additionally, more than two dozen fire incidents have been reported in Jhapa, as confirmed by the District Police Office.

In another alarming incident, a plywood factory in Mechinagar Municipality-15 was engulfed in flames, resulting in the destruction of properties valued at 150 million rupees.

It took the combined efforts of eight firefighting brigades from Nepal and one from India, mobilized for three days, to bring the inferno under control.