Assam: 300 shops gutted in Jorhat's Chowk Bazaar

Jorhat: Over 300 shops were gutted in the massive fire which broke out in the Chowk Bazaar area of Jorhat in Assam on Thursday night, officials said.
"Over 300 shops were destroyed in the fire but no casualties were reported in the incident," said Pulak Mahanta, the Deputy Commissioner of Jorhat on Friday. As per latest information, the blaze was brought under control on Friday morning.
"The fire broke out at around 8.30 pm and a fire brigade was informed. By the time the fire brigade arrived, three-four shops were already gutted. By 1 am, the entire market was engulfed in flames," said a local.
"My shop was open when the fire broke out. We tried to contain the fire but was unable to do so. We broke open my friend's shop and brought out the shop's contents at around 2 am. By that time the entire market was engulfed in flames," said a shopkeeper whose shop was reduced to ashes.
Assam Revenue Minister Jogen Mohan late on Thursday night visited the site and took stock of the situation. The minister also directed the district administration to investigate to find out the actual cause of the fire.
According to Fire department officials, the fire started at a cloth shop near the market's main gate and was suspected to have been caused due to a short circuit.
About 20 fire tenders were deployed to the spot to douse the flames.
In November last year a large number of houses and shops were gutted in a massive fire in the Lahorijaan area near Bokajan in Assam's Karbi Anglong district along the Assam-Nagaland border.
In December last year a fire broke out at Basistha Amrit Nagar area in Guwahati. The fire broke out at the densely populated Nepalibasti area in Basistha Amrit Nagar in Guwahati. Several houses were damaged in the fire. (ANI)