Ahmedabad: A major fire broke out at shops in the Vajreshwari Shopping Center near Viratnagar Bridge on the Narol-Naroda highway in the city. The blaze, which affected 18 shops across both floors of the two-story building, was brought under control after one and a half hours of intense firefighting. Cooling operations are currently underway.

Around 50 foam cylinders were used to control the fire. The blaze reportedly started in two shops and quickly spread across the complex.

The intensity of the fire drew a large crowd, and its location near the roadside also disrupted traffic in the vicinity. The cause of the fire will be verified after a proper investigation; however, prima facie, it appears that the fire originated in a shop storing large quantities of oil and then spread to other shops, some of which contained fabrics, Chief Fire Officer Amit Dongre said.

While several shops have been damaged, the total extent of the losses is yet to be determined. Investigations are ongoing, and officials are examining the storage of flammable materials inside the complex. DeshGujarat