SHANGLA: A bank, a hotel and eight shops were gutted in the district headquarters, Alpuri, on Tuesday.

Sub-divisional police officer Amjad Ali said the fire broke out in a bakery shop in the wee hours of Tuesday due to electricity short-circuit which engulfed the entire market, including a National Bank branch, a hotel and eight shops within no time.

He said he along with police personnel reached the site despite snowfall and started efforts to put-off the fire, adding after hours long efforts they succeed in extinguishing the flame.

He said later the fire tenders from Alpuri and Bisham also reached and participated in the rescue work.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2019