Forest Fires in Himachal Reach Boarding Schools, Create Panic

Panic gripped Lawrence school, as fires raging in adjoining forests advanced towards the school. (Photo Courtesy: ANI)

Panic gripped Lawrence school, Sanawar near Kasauli, on Tuesday as fires raging in the adjoining forests advanced towards the school as students ran helter-skelter with columns of smoke descending on the school complex.

Students of the 169-year-old Lawrence School were evacuated. (Photo Courtesy: ANI)

The fires were brought under control and no damage was caused to the 169-year-old residential school, said R Chauhan, a senior teacher of the school.

There was no cause for panic and all the students and the school complex is safe, he added.

Fire tenders fought the flames for nearly two hours and brought them under control.

The forest officials said that the fire that reached the school was a ground fire caused by the burning of dry pine needles. Such fires are common during the summer and a number of fires had broken out in Kasauli and surrounding areas but all these had been put out.

The fires broke out in forests in Kasauli areas and forests surrounding the Sanawar School were also affected but the school complex was fully safe and fires have been extinguished.

Rakesh Kanwar, Deputy Commissioner, Solan

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