15 makeshift shops destroyed in Patiala fire
Patiala, May 31
Over 15 makeshift shops and booths selling ready-made clothes were gutted in a massive fire at the Rehri Phari Market near the Improvement Trust Building in Chhoti Baradari on Friday.
The firefighters said a garbage cart in the vacant plot behind these booths caught fire, adding that in no time, the fire engulfed the shops. The firefighters said scooters, bicycles, electronic gadgets, and transformers, among others, were also destroyed in the fire. As the smoke and fire kept spreading across the area, people working in nearby offices and banks fled for cover. People were also seen recoding video of the incident. Fortunately, those present in the shops managed to escape unhurt.
It took a total of six fire tenders to douse the flames. Shopkeepers said the incident would have an effect on their livelihood. They said they suffered a huge loss as a huge chunk of their goods were destroyed.
Shiromani Akali Dal candidate from Patiala, NK Sharma, visited the spot and addressed the grievances of those who lost their businesses. The Congress Lok Sabha spot, Dharamvira Gandhi and the BJP Punjab Mahila Mocha president, Jai Inder Kaur, visited the spot to assess the situation.
