A five-year-old boy was charred to death and his mother was hospitalised in a devastating fire that gutted ten houses, shops and workshops on Tuesday night at Koirengei market about 12 km away from Imphal.
In view of the indefinite blockade along the highways imposed by a tribal students' group, traders and shop keepers had started storing petrol illegally flouting fire safety rules.
According to eyewitness accounts, a speeding car ploughed through the shops, believed to have had many jerrycans of petrol, around 8 p.m. and the impact caused a loud explosion and leading to fire. The driver and the passengers appeared to be under the influence of liquor.
Five fire tenders, who were rushed to the spot, brought the fire under control by 9 p.m. A case has been registered by the police but no arrests have been made so far.
