A fire erupted in Lahore's famous Anarkali Bazaar in the early hours of Saturday, reducing at least 15 shops to ashes, rescue officials said.

The fire, which broke out at 2am, engulfed six buildings of the market.

Firefighters were able to contain most of the blaze after nearly seven hours. However, the cooling process is still ongoing.

An electrical short circuit in one of the buildings was the likely cause of fire in the bazaar where decoration paraphernalia such as firecrackers and aerosol sprays are sold.

No loss of life or injuries were reported in the fire. However, traders claimed they had incurred losses of tens of millions of rupees.

A district officer of Rescue 1122 said the entrance to one of the burning buildings was narrow, making the firefighting process difficult. He said no fire extinguishing equipment was present in the building.

He told DawnNews that a large amount of firecrackers and decorative material used in functions was stored in the shops and godowns.