Shops gutted in Yairipok fire
Source: The Sangai Express

Thoubal, July 22 2013: Fifteen shops including a jewellery outlet were reduced to ashes in a fire that broke out at Yairipok Tampha market around 11.30 pm yesterday.

Although the exact source of the fire is not immediately known, electric short circuit is suspected to have caused the fire that lasted till early today morning.

According to information culled from the spot, explosion of gas cylinders fuelled the fire that engulfed the wooden shops built in a row on the banks of Thoubal River.

Although no human casualty was reported, it was estimated that properties worth around Rs 5 crore were ravaged in the inferno.

The magnitude of the fire was so intense that seven fire tenders from Imphal, Thoubal and Kakching took several hours in controlling it.

Locals said that although Thoubal Fire Station was alerted in time, they reached the spot late that led to the loss of huge properties.

Prior to the arrival of fire tenders, Yairipok SDPO Meghachandra, Yairipok PS OC P Ranbir several police personnel and locals tried to put out the fire.

13 shops were already reduced to ashes when the fire tenders reached the spot, they added.

As the fire had damaged electric wires, electric poles, cable TV network lines and BSNL optic fibre lines connecting Andro, Yairipok area experienced power and cable TV blackout today.

Predicting scarcity of essential commodities in the aftermath of a massive landslide recently occurred at Phisema in Nagaland, most of the shops acquired extra stock prior to the fire, a shopkeeper said.

Wangkhem AC MLA and Information and Public Relations Parliamentary Secretary Keisham Meghachandra, Yairipok Municipal Council Chairperson Th Nokul and Councillors inspected the site in the afternoon.

Later, Social Economic Development Organisation (SEDO), Apunba Nupi Khunai Lamjing Meira Lup, Imphal East branch and women vendors jointly organised a public meeting at Tampha market.

Speaking at the meeting, K Meghachandra assured the gathering to look into providing assistance to the victims in consultation with the Chief Minister.

He also stressed on the need to organise awareness programmes on fire safety as it was the third time that a major fire destroyed huge property at the area.

He also promised to press on attaching a fire station at Yairipok Police Station within two-three months.

Meghachandra also said that the Government is planning to start construction of first floors of the shops at Tampha market and New market within this year.

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