6 suffer burns, over 50 shops gutted as fire breaks out in grain market in Kanpur

Kanpur: Six people suffered over 50% burns and over 50 shops and warehouses were gutted in a major fire that broke out in Old Grain Market of Collector Ganj in Kanpur on Tuesday afternoon.

Three four-wheelers, 12 e-rickshaws, and about 20 two-wheelers were reduced to ashes.

The injured have been admitted to Ursula Hospital.

According to sources, the flames were seen around 3pm on Tuesday. Soon the fire engulfed over 50 shops selling grains, groceries, peanuts, and medicines. The fire was intensified by LPG cylinders, e-rickshaw batteries and oil drums kept in the warehouses in the market. Hearing explosions of cylinders and batteries, the shopkeepers and workers ran to save their lives.

Locals tried to douse the flames and informed the police and fire department. Upon being informed, 15 fire brigades were pressed into service to douse the flames. Chief fire officer Deepak Sharma stated that around 50 shops and warehouses caught fire. Narrow lanes and heavy smoke made the relief efforts challenging. Police force and administrative officers also arrived at the scene.

A thick cloud of smoke was visible from distance. Smoke had even reached the Kanpur Central station which is around 1 km away from the market triggering panic among passengers.

Grocery trader Dinesh Gupta said that the fire started in a turpentine oil shop, followed by an explosion and soon spread to his shop also. Over 50 shops were burned, and two-wheelers parked nearby were destroyed, he added.

The area is known for wholesale trade, with a grain and pulse market. It also has shops engaged in sewing sacks and bags. Traders fear losses amounting to crores. Women working in the shops and warehouses said that suddenly there was an explosion, and everyone started running. Only black smoke and flames were visible everywhere, they added. Later, fire brigades arrived and doused the flames.

The incident has highlighted the need for improved fire safety measures in old market areas.

The local authorities have announced plans to conduct fire safety audits across the similar markets in Kanpur. The focus will be on ensuring proper storage of flammable materials and maintaining adequate fire-fighting equipment. The trade associations have requested the govt to provide support for the affected shopkeepers, many of whom lost their entire inventory in the fire.

The local administration has started documenting the losses to facilitate compensation processes. Meanwhile, temporary arrangements are being made to help the traders continue their business operations. The police have cordoned off the affected area to prevent any untoward incidents and to facilitate proper investigation into the cause of the fire. Forensic teams have collected samples to determine the exact trigger point of the blaze.