Six shops gutted in Bhiwani, cops say short-circuit trigger

Six shops were gutted and goods worth lakhs were destroyed in a fire that broke out in a bag house at Hansi Gate in Bhiwani town today.

No injury or loss of life was reported in the mishap. The police said a watchman of a shop noticed flames and smoke rising from the shops and immediately informed the shopkeepers, police and fire brigade. Ten fire brigade vehicles were deployed to bring the fire under control.

Police officials said it seemed that the fire was triggered by short-circuit in the bag house and it spread to the adjoining shops. The flames also reached shops on the first and second floors, eventually affecting six establishments.

The fire was brought under control in about three hours by fire brigade personnel with help of local residents.

A shop owner, Himanshu Jain, said he rushed the spot after getting a call from the Fire Department. The shops on the upper and lower floors were gutted in the blaze, he said, as he put the estimated loss at Rs 50-60 lakh.

Fire brigade operator Sunil Kumar said when the firefighters reached the spot they saw flames leaping high. It took three hours for 10 fire brigade vehicles to put out the blaze, he added.