ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu has said that he is “worried and upset” over the massive fire that broke out at the Naharlagun daily market near Itanagar on Tuesday.

Over 700 shops at the Naharlagun daily market near Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh were gutted in the massive fire that broke out in the wee hours of Tuesday.

Speaking on the incident, Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu said that he has been constantly monitoring the relief and rescue operations.

“(I am) worried and upset about the damage caused to shops by Naharlagun fire. I have been monitoring relief and rescue operations since morning,” said Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu.

The Arunachal Pradesh chief minister also assured that his government will extend all kind of support to the affected people.

“Our government will extend every possible support to the affected people,” the Arunachal Pradesh chief minister said.

Notably, the exact reason of fire is yet to be ascertained.

“The cause of the fire is still not known and is under investigation,” informed Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu.

He also said that senior government officials arrived at the site of incident and made arrangements for reliefs for shopkeepers at an immediate basis.

“The cause of the fire is still not known and is under investigation. Senior officers of district administration, DDMO, police and fire brigade are at the place of fire accident. They are arranging immediate reliefs for shopkeepers,” said Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu.

Khandu also informed that the “accounts numbers (of the affected shopkeepers) are being collected” by the government officials for distributing reliefs.

Moreover, a relief camp has been set up at the Naharlagun government higher secondary school in Arunachal Pradesh for the affected shopkeeprrs.

“Some shopkeepers were staying in their shops which have been burnt. They will be accommodated in relief camp,” the Arunachal Pradesh CM added.

Notably, a massive fire broke out at the Naharlagun daily market near Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday morning.

The fire at the Naharlagun daily market near Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh gutted over 700 shops.

Also read: Arunachal Pradesh: Over 700 shops gutted in massive fire at Naharlagun daily market

Properties worth crores of rupees were reduced to ashes in the fire at the Naharlagun daily market near Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh.

The fire at the Naharlagun daily market near Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh broke out at around 4am on Tuesday.

The Naharlagun daily market near Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh happens to be the oldest market in the state.

It is located near the fire station and Naharlagun police station, around 14 km from Itanagar – the capital of Arunachal Pradesh.

The fire is suspected to be caused by firecrackers or lamps lit on the occasion of Diwali on Monday evening.

The fire spread from one shop to the other at a rapid pace as most of the shops were made of bamboo and wood.

Several fire tenders, including one from Itanagar, were pressed into service to douse the inferno.

However, it was a struggle for the firefighters to control the spread of fire.

Blast of LPG cylinders further added to the woes of the firefighters.

It took hours for the firefighters to ultimately control the inferno.

The total loss of properties is yet to be ascertained.

Shopkeepers alleged that after spotting the blaze they rushed to the adjacent fire station but no personnel could be found.

Further, when the fire services personnel arrived, the fire engines did not have water, locals alleged.

To refill the engines, the personnel had to travel a long distance, and they could come back with water only around 5 am, by which most of the market was already gutted, the shopkeepers alleged.