A massive fire broke out at ‘Galla market’ in Gurandi Bazar area late Monday night, gutted as many as seven shops. The fire started around 12 midnight and spread rapidly before it could be brought under control. The shops reportedly belong to traders Munna Bhai, Irfan, Hafiz, Irshad and Iqbal. All the shopkeepers had closed their establishments around 9 pm and gone home. The fire broke out hours later and quickly turned into a major blaze, reducing piles of material to ashes. After getting the information the Jabalpur Municipal Corporation (JMC) pressed as many as six fire tenders, apart from water tankers and a tender from ISBT to the spot to control the blaze. Police and administrative teams also reached the site.

 

However, the narrow lanes of the densely populated area made it difficult for the fire tenders to reach the spot. Firefighters battled the blaze for several hours and extinguished it at 6 in the morning. By then, all the goods stored in the shops had been destroyed. Locals suspect a short circuit may have triggered the fire. Residents also stated that grocery shops, scrap and other godowns operating in the heart of the city have been a recurring hazard. Civic body and the administration have been repeatedly urged to relocate these establishments, but no concrete action has been taken so far. A petition was also filed in the Madhya Pradesh High Court, warning of a major accident risk from such godowns operating within the city limits. The exact cause of the fire and the extent of property loss are under investigation. However, local shopkeepers claimed that property worth nearly Rs 20 lakh was damaged in the fire incident.