Assam: Catastrophic fire in Bongaigaon kills elderly couple and destroys shops

A catastrophic fire erupted in North Boitamari’s Bashbari area on Friday, claiming the lives of an elderly couple and reducing three shops to ashes. The blaze, which started in a local market, was intensified by an explosion from a gas cylinder.

The fire began around noon, rapidly spreading through the market and engulfing the tea shop where the elderly couple, Dulal Bhattacharya and Kaushalya Bhattacharya, lived. Despite prompt response from local firefighting teams, their efforts were insufficient to control the inferno. The couple perished in the blaze.

The flames destroyed three adjacent shops, causing significant damage. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, with initial reports suggesting that the explosion of a gas cylinder may have contributed to the uncontrollable spread.