Fire destroys 5 shops, gas cylinders explode
The situation escalated when three gas cylinders inside the shop exploded, making containment extremely difficult, authorities said.
KATHMANDU: A major fire broke out early Tuesday morning at Itahari-6, destroying five shops and causing significant property damage.
The blaze, which started around 4:45 a.m. at Sewaro Fresh House due to an electrical short circuit, quickly spread to neighboring shops.
The situation escalated when three gas cylinders inside the shop exploded, making containment extremely difficult, authorities said.
Sewaro Fresh House and Khadka Fresh House were completely gutted by the fire.
Preliminary estimates put the losses at around Rs 200,000 for Sewaro Fresh House and Rs 300,000 for Khadka Fresh House.
Two shutters of Khadka Fresh House and a motorcycle inside were also destroyed.
Three other shops—Namaste Fresh House, Purwanchal Fresh House, and Ganesh Vegetable Shop—suffered partial damage, with losses estimated at Rs 110,000, Rs 5,000, and Rs 80,000 respectively.
Police and the Nepali Army managed to salvage remaining goods, preventing greater losses.
The Itahari Metropolitan Fire Brigade, hampered by non-functional equipment during its routine deployment, required assistance from fire units in Dharan, Jhumka, and Duhabi.
A joint operation led by a Major of the Nepali Army and DSP Subash Hamal of the local police successfully brought the fire under control after nearly two hours.
Authorities have launched a detailed investigation into the incident.
