HT Correspondent
DHUBRI, April 13: A massive fire broke out in the early hours of Sunday at an ice cream factory located in Sapotgram Bazar, Dhubri, causing widespread panic and devastation in the area. The blaze, believed to have been triggered by a powerful thunderstorm, rapidly spread to surrounding commercial establishments, reducing six to seven shops to ashes.
According to eyewitnesses, the fire began after a suspected lightning strike hit the ice cream factory during a fierce thunderstorm. Within moments, the flames engulfed nearby shops, including two medical stores, a jewellery shop, a shoe store, and two other small businesses run by local entrepreneurs.
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Residents watched in horror as the flames consumed the shops, with many trying to salvage whatever they could. “It all happened so fast. One moment there was a thunderclap, and the next, the factory was in flames. The fire just kept spreading,” said a local shopkeeper.
Emergency services responded swiftly, with sixteen to eighteen fire brigade vehicles dispatched from Gosaigaon, Kokrajhar, Bilasipara, Dhubri, and nearby towns. Firefighters battled the inferno for several hours before finally bringing it under control.
Preliminary estimates suggest that property worth over rupees fifty lakh may have been destroyed in the blaze. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported so far, though assessments are still underway. Authorities are currently investigating the exact cause of the fire, and a detailed report is expected in the coming days.
