80 shops gutted in fire

Tirumala, Feb 5 (UNI) About 80 shops, with property worth nearly Rs one crore, were gutted when a fire broke out opposite the Central Reception Office (CRO) here today.

An electric short circuit in one of the shops was said to be the cause of the fire, police said.

Fire tenders from Tirupati were pressed into service to douse the fire.

However, no injury had been reported in the incident so far, the police said.

Meanwhile, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President N Chandrababu Naidu, who was here at the temple town, announced Rs 2,500 financial assistance to each shop-owner, whose shop had been gutted in the fire.

UNI