Two killed in century-old Shillong Church fire

Shillong, Nov 17 (HS): Two persons have died after the Church of God at Qualapatty here was destroyed in a massive fire that broke out early on Sunday at around 3 am.

The fire started at around 3 am today morning and it totally got out of control as there was less fire tender. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. An adjoining building was also gutted into fire.

Police suspected that two persons must have died due to suffocation as their house located very close to the devastated church.

The Church of God in Meghalaya and Assam is an indigenous Church formed in 1902 located at Qualapatty.

People started noticing flames licking the internal parts of the church at around 3 am. Police however suspected that the fire must have broken out much earlier. The deceased have been identified as Tiameren Basaiamoit, 55 (husband) and Reliable Laloo, 73 (wife).

Superintendent of Police of East Khasi Hills district, C. Lyngwa confirmed that the two persons who died were male and female. Lyngwa said that investigation is on to find out the cause of the fire.

Some repairing works including wiring were going on inside the church. Electric short circuit is suspected to be the cause of the fire. The area where the church stood is surrounded by many houses.“We cannot say anything now as the investigation is on. We are collecting all the details,” Lyngwa said.

Meanwhile, Home Minister James Sangma, Health Minister AL Hek and Meghalaya DGP also reached the spot this morning to take stock of the situation.

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has expressed shock over the incident. The Church of God was established in 1902. Its pioneers Rev.Wolley Mohon Roy, Rev. J. J. M. Nichols Roy, Bro.Jobin Roy Chyne and others were local converts. House of Rev. J. J. M. Nichols Roy which was partially gutted in the fire.  first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru had even stayed a day with Roy at  this residence in Shillong before finalising the Constitution.

It was they who decided to start the new movement. Their decision was so costly as they had to brave themselves even at the behest of personal sacrifices. Unlike foreign sponsored Christian organizations, the Church of God began from the scratch and the pioneers carried out the mission work voluntarily for a good number of years.

As a matter of fact, these leaders did not intend to start a new church rather desired to preach the now salvation within the Church itself but prohibition and excommunication precipitated for the formation of the New Testament-based indigenous Church of God.