Nagaland: Major fire in Kohima guts property worth Rs. 2 cr

A major fire, suspected to have been triggered by an electrical short circuit, completely gutted five shops and partially damaged two nearby residential houses at Upper AG colony, here on Monday morning. The fire caused massive loss to property, but no casualties were reported.
According fire and emergency services authorities, the fire broke out at around 8:45–8:50 am and originated from a bakery located on the lower floor of a two-storey building.
The blaze rapidly spread to adjoining establishments, destroying two ration shops, one bakery outlet, one tea hotel and one paan shop.
The affected building housed multiple electrical connections, including a three-phase system.
One family and several workers were present in the building at the time of the incident. Fire officials confirmed that all LPG cylinders from nearby houses were promptly removed as a precautionary measure to prevent further escalation of the fire.
An eyewitness reported that smoke was first noticed emanating from the bakery at around 8:50 am. Another witness stated that traffic congestion in the area posed a major challenge and caused some delay in the arrival of fire tenders. The owner of a nearby shop, whose property was partially damaged, described the incident as “like a dream,” stating that the fire spread very quickly.
The manager of Square Bakery informed authorities that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit due to excessive load. According to an official report by the Fire and Emergency Services, property worth approximately Rs 2 crore was destroyed in the incident. Firefighters used water and foam to control the blaze, which was brought under control after nearly five hours of intensive firefighting.
The properties destroyed included CGI sheet structures, Assam-type pukka houses, machinery, cold storage units, refrigerators, groceries, household items and clothing.
Personnel from the Fire and Emergency Services, assisted by Assam Rifles, responded to the incident and carried out firefighting operations.
Authorities stated that an investigation has been initiated to ascertain the exact cause of the fire, though a short circuit in the bakery is suspected to be the primary cause.