A massive fire broke out in Himachal Pradesh’s capital, Shimla, on October 29, completely destroying a 135-year-old building named Dimple Lodge in Chhota Shimla. The blaze erupted suddenly and spread rapidly through the wooden structure, reducing it to ashes within minutes. The two-storey lodge, which had around ten rooms, was entirely gutted by the flames. Fire officials said that due to the wooden construction, the fire intensified quickly, leaving no time to salvage any belongings from the historic property that once stood as a landmark in the city.
Upon receiving the alert, multiple fire brigade teams rushed to the spot and began firefighting operations. However, the fire was so fierce that it took nearly an hour and a half to bring it under control. Despite their efforts, the entire building and everything inside were reduced to ashes. Police officials reached the site soon after to investigate the cause of the incident. No casualties were reported as the building was unoccupied except for a caretaker at the time of the blaze.
The caretaker immediately informed the police and fire department after noticing the fire. Teams from the district administration, police, and fire brigade coordinated to prevent the flames from spreading to nearby structures. Additional District Magistrate Jyoti Rana, who visited the site, confirmed that the fire had been doused but caused extensive damage. She said almost the entire property and its contents were destroyed. Authorities have begun an inquiry to determine the cause of the fire, which remains unknown at this stage.