146-yr-old British-era heritage building in Nainital gutted by fire

Nainital: In a blow to the town's architectural history and colonial heritage, Glenmore, a British-era wooden mansion near Alma Lodge in Nainital, was reduced to ashes after a massive fire broke out on Sunday afternoon.Eyewitnesses said the blaze erupted around 1.30pm and spread rapidly due to the building's wooden structure, constructed in 1880. The situation worsened when gas cylinders inside the mansion exploded, triggering panic among nearby residents and tourists.
Fire brigade teams and local police rushed to the place, but despite immediate efforts, the wooden composition of the building made it difficult to contain the fire which consumed most of the structure by late evening. Officials said the blaze has been brought under control, and the extent of the damage is under investigation.Fire station officer Devendra Singh Negi told TOI that the mansion was divided into two sections, housing families of retired officials. Lalit Mohan Tiwari, formerly with the collectorate and Anil Joshi, a retired official from Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) were not present at the time of the incident.Originally registered in the names of the sons of late Devi Dutt Joshi, Glenmore stood near Bora Point on the road leading to the Saat Number area. For nearly 150 years, it remained a symbol of Nainital's colonial past. "This building was not just a residence; it was part of the city's heritage. Seeing it crumble into history is a significant loss for Nainital," residents said.The destruction of Glenmore has reignited concerns over fire safety standards and preservation of Nainital's ageing wooden structures. Last year, two separate fires struck the Old London House heritage building in the Mallital area — one on Aug 27 and another on Oct 21 — with the first incident claiming the life of an 82-year-old woman. Residents are calling for a review of safety protocols to prevent such irreplaceable losses in the future.