CHANDIGARH: More than 300 shops were completely gutted on Aug.9 in devastating fire in Sector 22 Rehri Mukta just two days before the shopkeepers were to shift their establishments to nearby pacca booths.
An official handout here said that there were 308 shops in the market; the cause of fire is yet to be ascertained. The police have registered a case and started investigations.
This was the third major mishap during the past four months.
The fire began in the middle of the market and spread to other shops within minutes as the firemen could not enter the market doc to narrow passages and low visibility due to leaping flames and dense smoke.
Only a few shopkeepers having shops on the roadside could have some of their articles, as the once lively market turned into ashes within half an hour.
Shopkeepers along with thou families were seen crying as many of them had bought articles worth lakh of rupees for sale in view of the Janamasthumi festival.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 13, 1993
