NEW DELHI, Feb 18 (NNN-PTI) – Nearly 250 shops were gutted, yesterday, in a massive blaze that broke out inside a marketplace, in India’s north-eastern state of Assam, officials said.
No casualties were reported in the incident.
The fire broke out on Thursday night, at the Chowk Bazaar market in Jorhat district, about 299 km north-east of Dispur, the capital city of Assam. The smoke billowed from the debris of the shops and some shopkeepers were seen rummaging through the ashes, the locals said.
“We have got information that 246 shops have got gutted in the fire in Chowk Bazar,” Deputy Commissioner of Jorhat, Pulak Mahanta said. “The fire has been brought under control completely and no loss of life was reported.”
According to officials, 50 firefighters rushed to the spot to bring the fire under control, and it took them 10 hours to douse the flame and prevent it from spreading further.
Mahanta said, the cause of fire was being ascertained. However, preliminary investigations point towards short circuit in one of the shops.
“It is suspected that a short circuit has caused the fire in the market,” he said.
Officials said, human casualties were averted as all shops were closed and owners and staff had left for their homes when the fire erupted.
Chances of fire in India are usually high, as people often ignore safety standards vis-a-vis fire.– NNN-PTI
