A fire broke out on the morning of May 2 at a shop in Chotta Shimla, close to the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat, causing significant damage to the premises.
Fire officials reported that two fire tenders were dispatched immediately after the incident was reported. The fire was contained promptly, preventing it from spreading beyond the single affected shop.
Sub-Fire Officer Bhagat Ram Thakur of the Chulhasan Fire Station said the department received information from Regional Fire Officer Nitin Divan about a fire at a construction site near a Gurudwara in the vicinity. “As soon as we got the information, we dispatched the fire crew. The fire has now been completely controlled,” he stated.
The shop belongs to tenant Rajesh Pathania, who runs a daily needs store in a building owned by Moti Ram. Preliminary investigations suggest the fire originated from an electrical panel within the shop. “We have extinguished the fire completely. The exact cause is still under investigation,” Thakur added, noting that the tenant has suffered losses.
Local residents assisted the firefighters in controlling the blaze.
Shopkeeper Monu Gupta, who experienced losses in the fire, said he was not present when the incident began and was informed of it by others. “I opened my shop and went downstairs to bring some goods. When I returned, people told me that my shop was on fire. I don’t know for sure, but it seems like it was caused by an electrical short circuit. There has been significant damage,” he said.
Gupta also reported extensive damage to goods and wooden fixtures inside the shop. “There has been a lot of damage. There were mixers and other items, and since the shop is made of wood, the damage is extensive,” he added.
He further mentioned that the building houses several families: “About five or six people live upstairs with their families,” he said.
Authorities are assessing the full extent of the damage while investigations into the exact cause of the fire continue. No casualties have been reported.