12 shops gutted in Yairipok fire
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Kakching, January 27 2014: Altogether 12 shops including eight pharmacies in front of Yairipok Community Health Centre (CHC) were completely destroyed by fire at 7.50 pm yesterday.

Properties worth more than Rs.one crore were destroyed by the fire.

One Honda Activa scooter, x-ray machine and huge quantity of medicines were among the valuable properties razed by the fire.

Enraged with slow response of the personnel of Manipur Fire Service, the locals of Yairipok beat up the firefighters and vandalized a fire tender.

The locals charged that the personnel of Manipur Fire Service were given information about the outbreak of the fire timely, but they turned up late thereby causing much greater damage.

12 shops gutted in Yairipok fire

The police had to blank fire several rounds in order to quell the mob.

Some of the firefighters sustained injuries during the melee.

According to Manipur Fire Service, fireman Ningombam Rupendro, fireman Yengkhom Britananda and driver Maisnam Dinakumar were injured during attack by the mob.

A fire tender bearing registration no.0733 was vandalized and a 50-foot-long pipe was also lost from the fire tender.

The firefighting team rushed to the spot as soon as the information was received from SP Control Room.

The locals had not given any information to Thoubal Fire Station.

The fire could have been controlled if the firefighters were allowed to douse the fire as soon as they reached the spot.

The gutted shops and pharmacies are NG Pharmacy owned by Ningombam Sanatomba of Yairipok Leirongthel, Prem Pharmacy owned by Konjengbam Prem of Yairipok Kekru, Surjit Pharmacy owned by Yumkhaibam Surjit of Yairipok Khoirom, Public Pharmacy owned by Md Shahjuddin Shah of Yairipok Ningthoumanai, MR Pharmacy owned by Md Raja Khan of Yairipok Changamdabi, Konthoujam Pharmacy owned by Konthoujam Dinesh of Yairipok Angtha, Universal X-ray and Laboratory owned by Imo of Thoubal, Abinas Pharmacy owned by Konsam Sunil, Maipakpi Pharmacy owned by Khundongbam Romen, Keisham Paint House and Electrical Items owned by Keisham Open and a grocery shop owned by Thounaojam Dhamen.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Secretary and MLA of Wangkhem A/C K Meghachandra inspected the gutted shops today and assured to the locals of setting up a fire sub-station at Yairipok.