Kanpur: As many as 15 grocery shops were gutted down in a massive fire at Baqarganj in Babupurwa area here on Saturday late night.
Leaping flames prompted locals to alert the Fire Brigade and the Police departments respectively. The flame soon took other shops into its ferocious, fiery grip.
About one dozen Fire tenders struggled several hours to douse the fire, said reports.
Most of the affected shopkeepers demanded police to ascertain the specific cause of the fire.
Police also said quoting the shopkeepers that a loss of Rs 50 lakh was estimated.
According to the shopkeepers, this was the eight-time the market was engulfed into the fire. In the name of compensation, they had to get between Rs 5 thousand to ten thousand only but it was like a drop into camel's mouth for them, they started.
By the way, one corner of the market begins from Baqarganj crossing while another end exists near Bagahi Police Chowki. A total of two hundred fifty shops were existing at the market. All the shops were made of bamboo stick and Tatter.
It was also learnt that the shops were existing since the British days. It was the third generation who were running the shops. These had been registered under Haat Act. It was a fact the number of shops was quite lesser in that past time. Though the politicians assure them to raise the cemented shops they forget their assurances after the elections, maintained the disgruntled shopkeepers.
