15 shops burnt in Sector-11

About 15 shops in Sector-11 Rehri Market reduced to ashes after having caught fire on Thursday. Though there was no casualty, the damaged properties have suffered losses worth lakhs.

About 15 shops in Sector-11 Rehri Market reduced to ashes after having caught fire on Thursday. Though there was no casualty, the damaged properties have suffered losses worth lakhs.

Smoke was seen emerging from Ghai cloth house at around 11:30 am. Owner Nirmal Ghai, 65, who was sitting outside the shop then, rushed inside to inquire but to no avail.

In no time the fire engulfed about 15 shops including Komal boutique, Garg paper store, Unique Communication and Jawahar Lal Disposal.

The people called up the fire brigade when the situation got beyond control. "Eleven fire tenders were rushed to the spot. We had received a call at around 11:30 am. The fire was brought under control within half an hour. The tenders had to be filled twice," said station fire officer SS Malik.

Nirmal Ghai, who had been running the shop for several years, was inconsolable. She said the shop had handloom and other goods worth Rs 50,000.

The owner of Komal boutique Mahesh, said, "Two sewing machines, one interlocking machine, one embroidery machine and clients' clothes have got burnt."

MLA Gian Chand Gupta also visited the spot and said he would try to get every possible help from the administration to provide aid to the victim shopkeepers.

Deputy Commissioner Vivek Atray also visited the affected area.

Panchkula's Beopar Mandal on Thursday released a note stating a delegation under president Kuldeep Chitkara had visited the market to assess the damage caused to the shopkeepers and demanded a compensation for them.