UPPER DIR: Two shops were gutted when a fire broke out in Bibyawar Bazaar in Upper Dir district in the small hours of Friday.

Rescue and local sources said the incident happened around 3.45am.

A civil defence volunteer said that they were informed at 4am in the morning that shops in Bibyawar Bazaar had caught fire, adding he along with other civil defence volunteers rushed to the site and took part in rescue operation with the help of the local residents.

He said they also informed the fire brigade by phone about the blaze. The fire brigade vehicles of the Dir tehsil municipal administration reached the site soon afterwards.

The fire was extinguished after the efforts of two hours, but not before the blaze had completely gutted two shops selling hardware and mobile accessories.

The affected owners appealed to the deputy commissioner to pay compensation to them.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2020