Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A massive fire broke out at Nema Designer Studio in the crowded Chowk Bazaar area of Bhopal on Friday afternoon, destroying bridal lehengas and other materials worth lakhs of rupees.
The fire, suspected to have been caused by a short circuit, triggered panic among shopkeepers and customers in the busy market.
According to Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) fire department, narrow lanes, roadside encroachments in Loha Bazaar and barricading near Moti Masjid delayed the arrival of fire tenders by nearly one hour. A fire vehicle was also damaged while navigating the congested route.
Before the fire brigade reached the spot, local residents and shopkeepers tried to control the flames using buckets of water and available resources.
Their efforts helped prevent the fire from spreading to nearby shops located close to one another. A team of three fire tenders and 12 firefighters later reached the site and brought the blaze under control in about 50 minutes.
Local residents said the incident highlighted the growing risk posed by encroachments and traffic obstructions in the old city markets.
They pointed out that emergency vehicles often struggle to reach such areas because of illegally occupied roads, narrow passages and parked vehicles.
"People started pouring water as soon as smoke emerged. Otherwise, the entire lane could have caught fire," said local resident Amit Gupta.
BMC fire officer Saurabh Patel said, "The fire was controlled within 45 minutes by three fire vehicles and 12 personnel. The response was delayed due to encroachments and barricading on the route."
