RAWALPINDI, March 3: A huge fire broke out in a weekly market here on Friday reducing over 300 stalls to ashes, fire department and police sources said.

The fire broke out at about 8:30am engulfing the weekly bazaar at Tench Bhata in Rawalpindi Cantonment within no time.

The fire tenders of Saddar and Cantonment fire brigade extinguished the blaze after one-and-a-half-hour hectic efforts. Only 20 stalls could have been saved.

According to police officials, the fire broke out due to short circuit. But it has been known that the market had no power connection and the owners of the stalls used gas lamps for lighting.

The stallholders of the market, established three years ago at Chungi No. 22, appealed to the authorities concerned to compensate them.