A massive fire broke out late Wednesday night at the historic Old London House, built in 1863, located at Mohan Ko Chauraha in Mallital, Nainital. The blaze engulfed the upper floor of the building, where historian Prof. Ajay Rawat’s sister, 86-year-old Shanta Bisht, was residing with her son Nikhil. Tragically, she died in the fire, and her body was recovered after the flames were doused.
The fire started around 9:54 PM, prompting locals to rush to the spot. They managed to rescue some people trapped inside and informed the police. Soon after, police, SDRF, and fire brigade teams reached the location. As the flames spread, authorities evacuated nearby shops and houses as a precaution and disconnected the electricity supply. Panic gripped the area as the blaze raged on.
After nearly two and a half hours of effort, the fire was brought under control around 12:30 AM. Senior officials, including IG Riddhim Agrawal, SSP P. N. Meena, ADM Shailesh Negi, and SDM Nawazish Khalique, were present at the site. The cause of the fire remains unknown.
According to SSP Nainital Prahlad Narayan Meena, the fire department has controlled the blaze and recovered the woman’s body, while damage assessment is underway.
