Shillong: A short circuit from faulty wiring ignited a fire at the Laban Last Stop market Wednesday night. Seven wooden shops burned to the ground. Flames erupted shortly after 9 pm in an unoccupied stall and jumped to nearby businesses.
The fire tore through archery counters, a salon, and fruit stalls. Shopkeepers and customers scrambled to safety. Firefighters arrived within 10 minutes after a local resident alerted emergency services and the MePDCL. Two fire tenders from the Iewduh Fire Station extinguished the flames within minutes.
No one was injured. Iewduh Fire Service Officer Dilip Rai confirmed the inquiry results and estimated total damages at less than Rs 5 lakh. "It was a small fire in terms of operational assessment," Rai said. The department finished the investigation within 24 hours of the incident.
This marks the second major blaze in Shillong within days. A previous fire hit Zig Zag Road in Rilbong. The proximity of these wooden structures remains a primary fire safety concern for the city.
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