CHANDIGARH: Several shops were gutted in a massive fire that broke out in the Heritage market in Kasauli in Himachal Pradesh's Solan district early Monday.
Eyewitnesses said that the fire was triggered by a blast in an LPG cylinder in one of the shops, around 4.30 am. The blaze spread to nearby establishments soon, but no casualties were reported.
The situation further worsened after multiple LPG cylinders exploded one after the other, intensifying the blaze. The flames were so intense that several shops in the market were gutted within minutes.
Traders rushed to the spot in an attempt to save their goods. The incident triggered panic among the residents living in the vicinity.
Property worth lakhs of rupees is estimated to have been damaged. The Heritage market primarily houses food and beverage outlets.
Officials said that the personnel from the fire department, along with a Quick Response Team from the Army were at the scene, making concerted efforts to bring the fire under control. Fire tenders were rushed from nearby areas such as Parwanoo, to assist in firefighting operations. Additionally, police personnel had been deployed at the site.
Due to the risk of cylinder explosions within the food establishments, it remains unsafe for personnel to approach the immediate vicinity of the shops.
