As many as seven wooden shops were gutted after a fire broke out at Last Stop, Shillong, on Wednesday night. The blaze spread rapidly through the closely packed structures before Fire & Emergency Services brought it under control, preventing a major disaster. No human or animal casualties were reported.
The affected shops included archery counters, a salon, fruit stalls and other small businesses. Fire officials said the cause of the blaze is yet to be determined, with an inquiry to be completed within the next 24 hours.
Iewduh Fire Station Officer Dinesh Rai said the Fire and Emergency Services received the distress call shortly after 9 pm and rushed two fire tenders to the spot. Firefighters contained the blaze within minutes. He said it was a small fire in terms of operational assessment and declined to comment on claims of an electrical spark.
A resident nearby said he alerted the fire services and MePDCL after spotting the flames. He said the fire brigade reached within about 10 minutes and managed to extinguish the fire quickly.
The incident comes days after the Zig Zag Road blaze in Rilbong, highlighting fire safety concerns in Shillong’s densely built wooden commercial areas.