Fire breaks out at spare parts shop

Gagandeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 16

A fire broke out at a three-storeyed building that houses a spare parts shop near Pukhraj cinema on Goniana Road at 2 am today. Goods worth an estimated Rs 40 lakh was gutted. Eight fire tenders reached the spot and managed to douse the flames at 7 am. No casualty was reported. The reason behind the fire could be a short-circuit.

A patrolling team of the Bathinda police reached the spot immediately after the incident. Thereafter, fire tenders were pressed into service.

Owner of the shop SS Kohli, a resident of Bathinda, and his son Ramit Kohli told Bathinda Tribune that they came to know about the fire when they received a call at night. They said they immediately headed towards the shop.

Spare parts of motorcycles and Activa scooters were in the shop and its adjoining stores, including the rear side and first floor.

Local residents woke up at night after minor blasts took place inside the shop. The blasts took place due to mobile oil, which was kept in small boxes.

Jaswinder Singh Brar, fire officer of the MC, said they came to know about the fire at 2.15 am and eight fire tenders from Giddarbaha, Rampura, Raman and Bathinda Thermal Plant reached the spot. He said the flames were completely doused at 7 am.

Ramit said they had lost everything whatever they achieved as goods worth Rs 40 lakh were gutted. It was early to say anything about the reason behind the fire, Ramit added.

DSP City-II Gurpreet Singh, Sub-Inspector Tarjinder Singh and SHO Kuldeep Singh also reached the spot.

Manjeet Singh, who is investigating the case, from the Civil Lines police station said a short-circuit could be the reason behind the fire.