What Caused the Massive Fire That Destroyed 30 Bighas of Sugarcane in Siraha?

A massive fire broke out in a sugarcane field in Lahan Municipality–13, Ghaletol of Siraha district on Monday afternoon, destroying crops grown by 25 local farmers.

According to police, the fire erupted in a sugarcane plantation covering around 30 bighas of land, where the crops were ready to be harvested. The blaze completely burned the standing sugarcane, causing heavy losses to farmers who were preparing to sell their produce.

Police have estimated that the fire caused damage worth approximately Rs 11.6 million (Rs 1 crore 16 lakh).

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kailash Rai of the Area Police Office, Lahan, said the fire started at around 1:00 PM. After receiving information that flames had erupted from the middle section of the sugarcane field, a police team rushed to the site. However, despite efforts to control the blaze, the fire spread rapidly and could not be extinguished in time, leading to the complete destruction of the field.

Rai added that with the help of local residents, authorities were able to prevent the fire from spreading into nearby settlements, avoiding further disaster.

Firefighters from Lahan Municipality were initially deployed, but the fire engine faced technical issues after its water-pumping motor broke down. Later, a fire engine from Golbazar Municipality arrived, and the fire was finally brought under control at around 4:00 PM.

Police have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire. Since the blaze began from the center of the field, officials suspect it may have been triggered by a discarded cigarette or bidi butt. There is also suspicion that the fire could have been deliberately set.

Victim farmer Bishnu Yadav expressed deep frustration, saying he had struggled to grow the crop despite facing shortages of fertilizer and irrigation. He said the fire struck just when he was planning to sell the sugarcane and use the money for household expenses and loan repayment.

“I had planned to sell the sugarcane to manage my family expenses and clear my debts, but now even my investment has been lost,” Yadav said.

Another farmer, Ramlakhan Mandal, demanded that the authorities identify the culprit and take strict action. “Whoever set the fire has committed a crime against farmers,” he said angrily.

Farmer Ramdayal Mandal explained that sugarcane production in the area ranges between 30 to 35 quintals per kattha. He said sugar mills currently pay Rs 620 per quintal, while the government provides an additional subsidy of Rs 70 per quintal, meaning farmers receive Rs 690 per quintal in total.

Based on this calculation, Mandal estimated that a 30-bigha field could produce around 18,000 quintals of sugarcane. The total value of the destroyed crop could reach approximately Rs 12.42 million (Rs 1 crore 24 lakh 20 thousand), indicating that the losses may be even higher than the initial police estimate.

The affected farmers have demanded compensation, relief support, and strict punishment for anyone found responsible for the fire.