Akola: A major fire broke out early Saturday behind City Kotwali police station in Akola damaging at least five shops and causing extensive damage. Two LPG cylinders exploded inside the shops, intensifying the flames and triggering panic among nearby residents. The explosions caused the fire to spread quickly to adjoining shops. Fire tenders rushed to the spot soon after the incident was reported, and personnel worked for nearly four hours to douse the blaze.According to preliminary information, the fire erupted around 2am in a row of six-seven roadside shops including those selling readymade garments, cloth, frames and a bindi shop. The flames spread rapidly, leaving five shops completely gutted, while two others suffered partial damage. Firefighters faced difficulty controlling the blaze as a nearby dargah required careful handling to prevent the fire from spreading further.Following the incident, some shopkeepers alleged that the fire brigade reached the spot late resulting in bigger losses. Refuting the allegations, Akola fire dept chief Manish Kathale told the media that its personnel responded immediately after receiving information from police. “At the time of receiving information, one of our fire engines was already attending another emergency — a bus fire on the national highway. Given the gravity of the fire, additional engines were dispatched and assistance from the MIDC fire brigade was also sought,” he said.Kathale added that the dept’s landline has been non-functional since March 12 due to a technical glitch, which prevented the fire alert from being received over the phone. Police personnel had to visit the fire office to relay the information.Local BJP leaders including mayor Sharda Khedkar, standing committee chairman Vijay Agrawal, and MLC Vasant Khandelwal visited the site and interacted with the affected shopkeepers. Shop owners reiterated their complaint about the alleged delay in the arrival of fire tenders. Agrawal assured that while there is no compensation provision at the govt level, efforts would be made to explore possible assistance.Authorities said the exact cause of the fire remains unclear. Officials are examining whether the blaze was triggered by a short circuit or other factor. Police and fire dept teams have launched an investigation into the incident.
