MANSEHRA/SWABI: Six shops were gutted after a huge fire caused by an explosion in a gas cylinder shop engulfed an entire market in Tarangri Bazaar in Mansehra district on Saturday.

The affected traders said that the fire had caused them huge financial losses. However, no loss of life was reported.

According to eyewitness people present at the gas cylinder and other shops miraculously escaped unhurt.

The gutted shops also included a medicine store.

Mohammad Zubair, the owner of the shop with gas cylinders, told reporters that the fire was caused by an electricity short-circuit. However, he said no one was hurt in the incident.

An eyewitness said that because of heavy explosions in the gas cylinder shop, clouds of smoke rose in the sky, and the people of nearby villages rushed to the scene.

The fire was put out by a fire tender.

Meanwhile, computers and other accessories worth over Rs1 million were reduced to ashes in a fire which broke out in a shop in Topi area of Swabi district on Friday night.

The fire brigade of Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate and Tarbela Dam reached the market and started extinguishing the flame. The cause of the fire was stated to be electricity short-circuit. The firefighters brought the fire under control before it could spread to adjacent shops.

The shop owner said computers and other hardware worth over Rs1 million were gutted in the incident.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2019