More than 200 shops were destroyed after a massive fire engulfed a market in Assam's Jorhat district.
The blaze that broke out late on Thursday evening at Chowk Bazaar has mostly been brought under control. However, firefighters are still struggling to douse pockets of flame spread across the market in the heart of Jorhat.
More than 200 shops were destroyed after a massive fire engulfed a market in Assam's Jorhat district.
The blaze that broke out late on Thursday evening at Chowk Bazaar has mostly been brought under control. However, firefighters are still struggling to douse pockets of flame spread across the market in the heart of Jorhat.
No casualties were reported as most shops, which mostly sold grocery items and clothes, were closed and people had left for home.
Over 25 fire tenders were rushed to the bazaar to fight the flames, which are suspected to have been caused by an electrical short circuit at a shop, the officials said.
Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management Jogen Mohan has reached the spot, and an assessment of losses, expected to run into crores of rupees, will be made during the day, the officer added.
This is the second such incident in Jorhat in two months. A major fire in December had gutted several shops in the Marwari Patty area.
(with PTI inputs)