Eleven shops were gutted in a blaze that broke out at the Barobisha Chowpathi in Kumargram block of Alipurduar district, near the Bengal-Assam border, early on Friday morning.
Sources said that the fire broke out in an electrical goods shop at around 1am. Soon, it engulfed the adjoining shops which included a restaurant.
Once the restaurant caught fire, a gas cylinder kept inside exploded and the fire intensified. Local residents rushed out of their homes upon hearing the sound of
the blast.
Two fire engines from Kumargram fire station reached the spot and later another fire tender from Alipurduar joined them.
Local people also helped douse the flames, but the blaze was so intense that it took the firemen over four hours to control the fire. The fire was completely doused at
around 4.30am.
“We were in sound sleep and suddenly heard the explosion. We came out and saw the fire. Later, we learnt that an LPG cylinder had exploded. The firemen did their best but the fire had spread fast and gutted the shops,” said Bipul Roy, a Barobisha resident.
Joyprakash Barman, the deputy chief of the Kumargram panchayat samiti, also visited the spot. “It is an unfortunate incident. We will extend all possible help to the affected shop owners,” he said.
The affected shop owners have pegged the loss at around ₹1 crore. The police and the fire brigade are investigating the incident.