Williamnagar, Jan 14: A gas stove that was lit and left unattended inside a food joint has been identified as the cause of the early morning fire that destroyed as many as eight shops in the vicinity of the Williamnagar Civil Hospital on Tuesday.
East Garo Hills Superintendent of Police Steve Rynjah told The Meghalayan Express that the fire started from a shop where a gas stove had been left burning with no one attending to it.
“The cause of fire was from an LPG gas stove which was left unattended to. A total of 8 shops were destroyed in the fire,” said the SP.
According to Mohini Marak, one of the affected shop owners from Rukalgre village, the blaze erupted suddenly and despite the immediate response from Williamnagar’s Fire and Emergency Services, all seven shops were beyond saving. “Four of the shops belonged to me,” said Mohini, adding that the total losses from her shops alone amounted to approximately ₹4 lakhs.
Most of the shops that were destroyed were food and tea stalls and shops selling betelnut and other daily items. The damage from the blaze has caused losses amounting to several thousand rupees.
