New Delhi, Nov 12 (NationPress) A devastating fire erupted in the early hours of Wednesday in the Kanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, leading to the destruction of hundreds of shops at the Bakarganj Market, located within the jurisdiction of the Babupurwa police station. This incident resulted in extensive property damage, as thick smoke enveloped the area, instigating panic among local residents.

Eyewitness accounts indicate that the fire ignited around 4 a.m. Local inhabitants swiftly notified the fire department upon witnessing flames ascending from the market. Multiple fire engines were deployed, battling the inferno for several hours. However, the intense flames and heavy smoke complicated firefighting efforts, ultimately reducing numerous temporary shops to mere ashes.

Footage from the scene depicted dense smoke rising from the burning merchandise within the market. Firefighters were seen struggling to manage the flames as bystanders looked on in despair. The precise cause of the fire remains unknown.

This event follows closely on the heels of a fire that occurred just a day prior at the Anandeshwar Cold Storage in Bara, Kanpur Dehat, where a substantial quantity of potatoes, stored by local farmers, was entirely consumed by the flames. Fire officials noted that the absence of a rear exit at the cold storage facility hampered their firefighting efforts.

Shopkeepers at the Bakarganj Market voiced their profound distress to IANS regarding the loss of their businesses. Many estimated their combined losses to be in the range of Rs 50-60 lakh.

Shahzade, a shopkeeper, lamented, “A fire broke out here, but we don’t know how it happened. My cloth shop has been completely destroyed.”

Another shopkeeper, Usha Rathore, expressed, “We were asleep when we learned that a massive fire had erupted. Initially, there was no fire brigade; we had to call them ourselves. Everything has been destroyed. My shop contained goods worth Rs 13-14 lakh. I suspect foul play—it’s hard to believe that the shops could ignite so easily. I want justice.”

Ajay, another trader, added, “When I arrived here, all the shops were already burnt down. We had inventory worth Rs 50-60 lakh across our two shops. Everything is lost.”