Nepali labourer burnt alive in Shimla market fire

Shimla, Nov 6 (UNI) A Nepali labourer was burnt alive and 11 shops gutted in a devastating fire that broke out in a local market here early morning today, causing an estimated loss of Rs one crore, Shimla Deputy Commissioner Tarun Kapoor said.

''The fire, which broke out in one of the shops at about 0300 hrs, soon spread to the adjoining shops in the local Sabzi Mandi market here and caused an estimated loss of Rs one crore,'' he told UNI here.

Mr Kapoor said the Nepali labourer, who was yet to be identified, was sleeping in the upper portion of a country liquor shop in the market when the fire broke out. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

The fire personnel battled with fierce flames for over four hours and prevented its spread to other adjoining shops, he said.

He said the district administration had announced an immediate relief of Rs 5,000 each to the businessmen whose shops were gutted in the incident.

The investigations are on to ascertain the cause of the fire, the DC added.

UNI