IMPHAL, April 5: Two shops located at Irong Chesaba Makha Leikai under Mayang Imphal police station of Imphal west district were burnt at around 6.15 p.m. People stoned and damaged a vehicle of Mayang Imphal Fire – Sub station which was trying to put out the fire.
The Officer-in-charge of fire-sub station told IFP that the fire broke out and engulfed oil kept inside the two shops while trying to light a K/oil lantern.
The fire incident was reported to the fire sub station at around 6.19 p.m. As soon as the report was received, the fire service vehicle reached the scene of incident seven Kms away in two minutes and tried to put down the fire but the advance water tender (AWT) bearing registration No. MN-01/T-0766 was stoned and the window panes were broken even before the before fire-fighters got down from the water tender.
The fire could not be put out and a team of Mayang police station dispersed the mob. The Fire-fighters resumed putting out the fire but the fracas resulting in at least two and three minutes being wasted. As a result, major portions of the shops could not be saved as the shops were stocking up petrol and kerosene. The shops are said to belong to Md Nazir and Md Kalam.