Eight houses were reduced to ashes when a fire broke out at Hodebas in Udayapurgadhi-7 of Udayapur district on Thursday. SP Gyanendra Prasad Phuyal of the District Police Office, Udayapur said that the fire broke out due to an electric short circuit. He said that police personnel and locals backed by three fire engines of Triyuga Municipality, Chaudandi Municipality and Rautamai Rural Municipality are trying to extinguish the fire.