Heritage bungalow of Singtom Tea Estate gutted, arson not being ruled out

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 15 Oct 2024, Darjeeling: The heritage Director’s bungalow at the Singtom Tea Estate, claimed to be the world’s first tea garden resort, was razed to the ground in a fire late on Sunday night. On October 9, the assistant manager’s bungalow located at Dhanmandhura in Singtom Tea Estate was also gutted. 

The management had abandoned the garden on September 25 with a bonus agitation, including blockade on tea despatches and gate meetings, on. With two back to back fires, arson is not being ruled out. 

“At around 11:30 pm on Sunday, we saw a raging fire at the manager’s bungalow near the cricket ground in Singtom. We immediately informed the police,” stated Sajani Rai, resident. The police arrived. Later, the fire brigade also arrived from Dali, around 13 km away. Owing to the narrow roads, an SUV fire engine arrived on the spot and helped control the fire from spreading. 

The director’s bungalow served partially as a tea resort and also as the residence of the manager. “There are three buildings serving as a tea resort. The fire brigade managed to control the fire and prevented it from spreading to the other buildings. At around 2:30 am, the fire was controlled with the director’s bungalow razed. However, portions of the stone walls still stand,” stated Raju Giri, resident.

“With news of the fire, we immediately informed the fire brigade. They rushed to the spot and controlled the fire. On October 9 also the assistant manager’s bungalow was also burnt to the ground. Investigations are on. We have to ascertain the cause of the fire and are not ruling out arson. We have requested for a forensic team to visit the fire spot,” stated Praween Prakash, Superintendent of Police, Darjeeling. 
The management could not be contacted for comments. The garden is steeped in history. As per the official website of the garden, Singtom, around 10 km from Darjeeling town was started by Joachim Stoelke, a German priest in 1854 and is Darjeeling’s second oldest tea estate. Stoelke had also planted the first tea estate in 1852 called Steinthal Tea Estate, giving him the popular name of Father Steinthal. The estate ownership changed hands a number of times and in 1999 was taken over by the Chirimar family. 

Father Steinthal is claimed to have built the “Director’s Bungalow” in 1862. It was opened for the public in 1864 as a secondary source of income to fund the tea business therefore establishing it as the oldest tea resort. In 2012-14 the Chirimar family restored the bungalow and launched the Singtom Tea Resort. In 2022, construction work started on two new wings. 

The Tea Estate is spread over 600 hectares and employs a workforce of 680 workers. 

“I am extremely sad to know that the heritage bungalow of Singtam tea estate was destroyed in a fire. If this is arson, the guilty have to be punished severely. This kind of activity has to be condemned by all. Sad day for Darjeeling,” posted Ajoy Edwards, president, Hamro Party posted on social media.

Courtesy & source - Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/heritage-bungalow-of-singtom-tea-estate-gutted-arson-not-being-ruled-out-583139