Fire destroys puja material shop in Patnipura area

Indore: A fire broke out in a puja material shop in Patnipura area of Indore during early hours of Tuesday. Goods worth lakhs reduced to ashes in the blaze.The incident was reported around 1:40 am, following which two fire tenders were rushed to the spot. Firefighters battled the flames for a prolonged period, using over 17,000 litres of water to bring the situation under control.Residents of nearby shops also joined efforts to prevent the fire from spreading further.Police confirmed that no casualties were reported, though the financial loss is estimated to be substantial.The fire erupted at Vinayak Puja Path Samagri shop, where thick smoke had accumulated inside due to the shutter being closed, making firefighting operations challenging. The fire team had to break open the shutter to access the premises.MIG police station in-charge CB Singh reached the site after receiving information. The shop is owned by Sudhir Agrawal. His brother Deepak said the blaze was likely triggered by a short circuit. Authorities have initiated a probe to ascertain the exact cause of the fire.Local traders said the incident has raised fresh concerns over fire safety arrangements in the densely packed commercial stretch, where multiple shops store inflammable items. They have demanded a detailed inspection of electrical wiring and emergency preparedness measures to prevent such incidents in the future.