Massive fire at 350-year-old Mathurapur market, three shops destroyed, safety lapses exposed

A fire broke out at the 350-year-old Saturday market in Mathurapur, reducing three shops to ashes while hundreds of others narrowly escaped damage. The market, which houses thousands of makeshift stalls made of bamboo, tin, and straw, lacked any fire safety measures, making containment efforts difficult. Eyewitnesses reported chaos as traders scrambled to save their goods, while authorities struggled to control the flames. No casualties were reported, but affected shopkeepers suffered significant financial losses.

There is disagreement over the cause of the fire. Market authorities claim that vendors failed to fully extinguish their cooking fires, leading to the blaze. However, the affected shopkeepers dispute this, arguing that the damaged shops used gas stoves, making open flames an unlikely cause. "If our stoves run on gas, how could leftover fire cause this?" a shopkeeper questioned, suggesting possible foul play. Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact source of the fire.

Despite being one of the region’s oldest and busiest markets, Mathurapur lacks basic fire safety infrastructure. Market officials admitted there are no fire extinguishers, hydrants, or emergency response plans in place. Traders expressed concerns about the risk of larger fires in the future if immediate safety measures are not implemented. The incident has intensified demands for proper fire prevention systems to avoid further destruction.