Hooghly, 01 October (H.S.): Panic broke out among shoppers after a fire erupted at a biryani shop on Netaji Subhas Road in Chinsurah during the busy Puja shopping hours on Thursday.

According to local residents, the fire reportedly started after a gas leak from a fast-food shop located opposite the biryani outlet. The flames soon intensified and began spreading rapidly.

People at the nearby Shriniketan reportedly used water to bring the fire under initial control. Later, a fire engine arrived at the spot and extinguished the blaze.

A gas cylinder was reportedly thrown into a roadside drain as a precautionary measure.

The incident triggered panic among people who had gathered in the area for Puja shopping. No casualties have been reported, but both the fast-food shop and the biryani outlet were reportedly gutted in the fire.

The exact cause of the fire and the extent of the financial damage are yet to be ascertained.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey