A late-night fire gutted around 20 to 25 shops at Joykrishnapur Market under Lala Police Station in Assam’s Hailakandi district, causing property losses estimated at several lakh rupees.
According to officials and local residents, the blaze broke out in one of the shops at around 1 am on Friday before spreading rapidly to adjoining establishments, engulfing a large portion of the market.
Following announcements through the local mosque’s public address system, residents rushed to the spot and attempted to contain the fire but were unable to control the rapidly spreading flames. Fire and Emergency Services personnel later reached the market and extinguished the blaze, although residents alleged that the fire brigade arrived nearly two hours after being alerted.
Personnel from Lala Police Station and Abdullapur Police Outpost also reached the scene. Zila Parishad member Dilwar Hussain Barbhuiya visited the affected market, expressed concern over the alleged delay in the emergency response, and sought government assistance for the affected traders.
Senior police officials, including Additional Superintendent of Police Shekhar Jyoti Ray, inspected the site as authorities began assessing the damage.
The exact cause of the fire remains undetermined, although preliminary suspicion points to either an electrical short circuit or a gas cylinder explosion. Police have launched an investigation to ascertain the cause of the incident.
