Inferno engulfs trade hub in CCpur
Source: The Sangai Express / S Singlianmang Guite

Lamka, July 14 2010: A huge inferno engulfed a two storeyed building at New Bazar, the district's business hub here tonight.

As the fire that broke out at around 7.20 pm is yet to be doused even at the time of filing this report, the origin of the fire could not be ascertained.

It is certain that at least a dozen business houses including two belonging to stockists were charred to cinders.

Bounded on three sides by shops and road side vendors in its full capacity many more losses are expected to be reported after the fire subsides and its residents ready to calculate their losses.

The blazing fire which broke out at New Bazar

Though the sole fire tender responded quite effectively to the distress call moments after the fire broke out, its capacity to deal such an inferno of such magnitude rendered the fire tenders ineffective.

The mini-fire tender soon ran out of water before it even managed to make its potency visible.

The fire tender despite being assisted by a water tanker of the local police left the blaze site for the third time to refill, when this report is filed.

Lack of water in the vicinity of the blaze worsened the dilemma as people were seen throwing sands and stones at the fire in an apparent attempt to douse it.

The crowd, in thousands that swarmed the streets leading to the site also hampered the efforts of controlling the inferno or any form of organised battle.

Many onlookers sustained minor injuries when a huge blast shook the building prompting the crowd to run back causing a stampede like scenario.

The magnitude of today's inferno has been always threatening this township and ever since it experienced a large scale fire some years back, the local population with the media in the forefront have time and again warned the Govt of the impending calamity.

The Govt however opted to shy away and instead to strengthening the Fire Dept and their arsenal, shamefully believed a mini-tender with a depleting personnel would suffice.

It is high time those in Imphal to know people in other places of the State as well live in congested, lengthy and storeyed buildings, an onlooker opined.