The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The recent Changzamtog fire on 26th April not only reduced homes to ashes but also destroyed the quiet independence many young working residents had spent years building for themselves.
For 27-year-old “Pema” (name changed), the trauma of watching everything disappear within minutes still lingers days after the fire.
He had just returned from a weekend hiking trip when he reached the parking area near his residence and noticed smoke rising nearby.
“At first, I thought it was probably from a Rimdo or someone burning sang,” he recalls. “But then I saw people rushing and trying to contain the fire. That was when I realized our building was on fire.”
Pema immediately joined other residents trying to stop the flames from spreading, but the fire quickly intensified.
“Within minutes, the fire that had started from the hut spread to our residential building. Then suddenly there was a LPG cylinder blast,” he recounted.
As panic spread, residents rushed to safety while firefighters struggled to contain the blaze.
“Within few minutes, two gas cylinder exploded. After hearing two blasts, I became scared and left the scene because it felt too dangerous. Even after I left with my cousin who came to pick me after hearing about the fire, I could still hear another explosion.”
According to him, nothing could be saved from the burning buildings.
The fire initially engulfed a hut housing three families before spreading to a nearby residential building where six families lived.
The fire in an instant spread to another nearby building where two more families residing in the attic was also affected.
Pema said, “I witnessed my home and everything I owned being swallowed by the fire. It was heartbreaking.”
Though no casualties or serious injuries were reported, survivors say the emotional impact remains severe.
Pema said the shock of the incident continued affecting him even days later.
“After one of the gas cylinder blasts, I lost consciousness. Even afterwards, I kept replaying the incident in my mind. Maybe it was trauma or shock,” he said.
Now temporarily staying with relatives, he says the hardest part is realizing he has to begin life all over again.
Like many young people living independently in Thimphu, he said the life he built was not created overnight.
Over the years, he slowly bought everything he needed for daily living, a mattress, blankets, kitchen utensils, clothes, appliances, and most importantly a laptop, often one item at a time from his earnings.
He said, “All those small things people collect over the years while living on their own are gone now. When you first start living independently, it takes time and sacrifice to buy even basic things. Now I have to start from nothing again.”
He said losing important documents and his laptop has made the situation even more difficult.
While relatives have provided him temporary shelter, adjusting to suddenly depending on others again after just few months of managing life independently has been emotionally difficult.
He further said, “You become used to managing your own life, your own expenses, your own space. Now suddenly you are left with nothing and have to depend on relatives again. It is not easy emotionally.”
Pema said that while he is grateful no injuries and lives were lost, the fear, helplessness, and trauma of watching repeated LPG cylinder explosions, and homes burnt before his eyes is something he may carry for a long time.
For many survivors, the fire did not only destroy physical property but also years of memories, stability, and the sense of security they had worked hard to create for themselves.
