Hyderabad, 4 March (H.S.): A major fire broke out in a roadside furniture shop in Bachupally on Tuesday night, spreading rapidly to adjacent establishments and gutting close to two dozen shops, officials said.

Multiple fire engines rushed to the spot after the blaze was reported around 11 pm. Firefighters battled the flames for more than five hours before bringing the fire under control in the early hours of Wednesday.

According to officials, the fire first erupted in a roadside furniture shop and quickly spread to nearby structures, triggering panic in the locality.

The presence of combustible materials stored inside the shops made firefighting operations difficult, officials said.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. No casualties were reported.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar