Seven shops gutted in late night fire at Gandhi Bazaar in Shivamogga on July 1

Nobody was injured, as the shops were closed when the fire broke out

As many as seven shops in Gandhi Bazaar, a business locality in Shivamogga city in Karnataka, were gutted in a fire on July 1 night. An accidental fire in one of the shops late in the night spread to other shops, reducing readymade garment products and footwear worth lakhs of rupees to ashes.

Nobody was injured, as the shops were closed when the fire broke out.

Passers-by noticed the fire and informed the Department of Fire and Emergency Services. Two fire tenders were rushed to the spot. As roads in the locality are narrow, the vehicles had difficulty in reaching the spot, and in extinguishing the fire. The staff worked for nearly three hours to put out the fire.

A short-circuit in one of the shops is suspected to be the cause of the accident.

As the news of the fire mishap spread, hundreds of shopkeepers rushed to the spot to check on their establishments. A few shopkeepers were spotted carrying valuable items in bags to prevent them from getting damaged in the fire.

Doddapete police handled the crowd.