Indore: Massive Fire Guts Bada Sarafa Jewellery Shop, Losses Worth Lakhs Feared

A major fire broke out late at night in a jewellery shop in Indore's busy Bada Sarafa commercial area, triggering panic among the hundreds of people and tourists gathered at the nearby food street.

Flames and thick smoke billowing from the shop caused chaos at the popular Sarafa Night Chaupati, which was crowded with visitors sampling street food at the time. Police and fire brigade teams rushed to the spot as soon as the incident was reported and began efforts to bring the blaze under control.

Within minutes, smoke had spread across the entire Sarafa market, creating a suffocating atmosphere that sent people running for safety.

Short circuit suspected, firefighters battle narrow lanes

Sarafa police station in-charge Rajkumar Litoria said the fire is preliminarily believed to have been caused by a short circuit. Fire brigade vehicles and senior police officers reached the scene soon after being alerted. Despite the market's narrow lanes, firefighters worked continuously with water jets to stop the fire from spreading to neighbouring shops. Police cleared the surrounding area as a precaution and brought the crowd under control. The fire was brought under control by midnight after a sustained effort.

Losses worth lakhs in the fire

The fire is feared to have caused losses worth lakhs of rupees. The shop's furniture was completely reduced to ashes by the time the blaze was contained, and a large quantity of jewellery was also destroyed. Police will carry out a detailed assessment of the damage.