What sparked the blaze? Probe ordered

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Nov 12: The Kamrup metropolitan administration has ordered a probe into the Fancy Bazar fire incident.

The probe, to be conducted by ADC Deepak Kumar Choudhury, will seek to find out if there were any lapses and if adequate precautiory measures were taken by traders. The ADC will be assisted by circle officers Lakhindan Saharia and Ashwin Mampui.

The committee has been given fifteen days time to submit its report.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said the State government will come up with ways and means to prevent such incidents in future.

"I must admit there were problems in fighting the fire because of the rrow lanes and unplanned way the structures were erected. It took some time to mage the fire but the fire services, police and administration did their level best," Gogoi said.

"We have not seen a fire incident of such a magnitude in the past," he said.

The Chief Minister indicated that chemicals and nylon stored in the godowns and stores made the fire intense.

He stressed on the need for having fire extinguishers in all business establishments, small or big.

Gogoi  also said that the government from now on will ensure that no firecracker trader is given license to operate from such congested areas. Moreover, storing of inflammable chemicals and other such goods would be prohibited in such areas, he said.

BJP president Siddhartha Bhattacharya, AGP president Atul Bora, former CM PK Mahanta, AIUDF president Badruddin Ajmal were among the political leaders who visited the site of inferno today.