Ten shops were damaged after fire broke out at the Rythu Bazaar in Alwal on Sunday morning, causing severe losses to vendors. However, no one was injured.
Though officials of State Disaster Response and Fire Services Department said that the exact reasons for the fire were yet to be ascertained, vendors alleged that some mischief mongers could have torched the shops driven by an ulterior motive. Two fire tenders from Secunderabad were rushed to the spot after receiving a call around 2.55 a.m. The flames were doused within an hour.
Vendors from Bollarum, Alwal, Shamirpet and its surroundings areas sell vegetables, flowers and fruits at the Rythu Bazaar in Alwal. “Each vendor could have suffered a loss of Rs 50, 000 and some known persons were responsible for the mishap,” said Shaik Jaffer Miya, owner of Taj fruits shop.
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He said that onions, ginger, fruits and flowers were stocked in the 10 sheds that were destroyed in the mishap. The sheds were made with dry palm leaves and iron sheets.
Vendors alleged that fire tenders failed to reach the spot in time. “The stock was reduced to ashes by the time fire vehicles came to the bazaar. We request the State government to construct permanent shops to help the affected persons,” said Eshwar, a vendor.