East Medinipur, 26 December (H.S.): A devastating fire broke out on Christmas night at Ramnagar market in East Midnapore district, reducing three shops to ashes. Two sweetmeat shops and one stationery shop were completely destroyed in the incident. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be confirmed. primarily a short circuit is suspected to have triggered the blaze.

According to local sources, the fire broke out between 2:30 am and 3:00 am at a sweetmeat shop in Balokbar market near Digha. Flames suddenly erupted inside the shop, following which a gas cylinder explosion occurred, intensifying the fire. The blaze quickly spread to a neighboring sweet shop and a stationery store.

Panic gripped the area as locals raised an alarm. Shop workers and residents rushed to the spot and attempted to control the fire using water before informing the fire brigade. Two fire tenders arrived promptly and began firefighting operations. It took nearly an hour to bring the fire under control.

The fire caused extensive damage. Large quantities of sweets and at least seven refrigerators inside the sweet shops were destroyed. Traders have reportedly suffered losses running into several lakhs of rupees.

Preliminary police investigation suggests that the fire may have been caused by a short circuit. However, authorities are also probing whether any other factors were involved.

Shop employees said they rushed to the market after hearing cries from locals in the early hours. “By the time we reached, the entire shop was on fire. We tried to douse the flames ourselves, but failed. After the fire brigade arrived, the fire was brought under control. Unfortunately, all three shops were completely gutted,

” they said.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey