SOLAN, Jan 12 – A seven-year-old boy lost his life and several others are feared trapped after a devastating fire tore through the Arki market in the early hours of Monday. The blaze, which broke out between 2:30 am and 3:00 am near the Old Bus Stand, completely destroyed two buildings and razed a significant portion of the local market.
The fire quickly spiraled out of control, spreading from a structure near UCO Bank to an adjacent building, both of which housed multiple families.1 Panic gripped the area as residents were woken by the sound of exploding LPG cylinders, which officials say aggravated the flames.
“The boy was charred in the UCO Bank branch that also caught fire,” confirmed Solan Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh. While the fire was brought under control by 7:00 am, police and disaster management teams remain on-site as four to five people are still unaccounted for and believed to be trapped under the debris.
Emergency response teams were mobilized from across the district, with fire tenders rushing from Ambuja Cements Darlaghat, Banalegi, Boileuganj, and Solan to assist local crews. Solan DC Manmohan Sharma and Arki MLA Sanjay Awasthi visited the scene Monday morning to supervise the rescue efforts.2 While the fire has been doused, the cause of the initial spark is still under investigation.
