Massive fire hit Jorhat Chowk Bazar, Over 200 shops burned

Jorhat: Over 200 shops were gutted in a massive fire that immersed a market in Assam’s Jorhat district.

The fire that broke out late Thursday evening at Chowk Bazar in the heart of Jorhat city has been largely brought under control, he said, with firefighters still working to douse the flames.
More than 25 fire tenders were rushed to the market to douse the fire, which was suspected to have been caused by an electrical short circuit in a shop, officials said.

A police officer said there were no reports of casualties as all the shops were closed and the owners and staff had left for their homes.

He said that most of the damaged shops sold grocery items and clothes.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Jogen Mohan has reached the spot, and an assessment of the damage will be done during the day, the officer added.

This is the second such incident in Jorhat in two months. A major fire in the Marwari Petty area in December gutted several shops.