4 shops gutted as fire spreads from petrol tanker

Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, May 17 (UNI) Four shops and a diesel-petrol tanker were gutted in a fire that broke out after the vehicle overturned in a crowded locality in Haldibadi area of Chirmiri town in Chhattisgarh's Koriya district this morning.

Panic spread as the tanker carrying 6000 litre diesel and an equal quantity of petrol caught fire immediately after it overturned due to brake failure, police sources said.

Part of the Haldibadi locality was also vacated as a precautionary measure and people clutching few valuable things were seen running in panic, eye witnesses said.

Fire tenders of the municipal corporation and South Eastern Coalfields Limited fought for four hours to douse the blaze, which engulfed a hotel, grocery stone, paan shop and a photocopying shop.

There was no casualty, police said.

The tanker was on its way to Manendragarh from here.

UNI