Andaman and Nicobar

Port Blair: According to officials a large fire caused damage, to the Rangat Market in Middle Andaman. Approximately 40 50 shops were engulfed by the flames. Rahul Nair, who serves as the Sub Police Officer of Rangat stated that the fire was initially reported at 1;15 am. Immediate action was taken with the deployment of five fire tenders. Unfortunately due to the presence of structures within the market the fire quickly spread. Fortunately no casualties were reported despite the destruction. Authorities expressed gratitude towards shopkeepers for their cooperation during this emergency situation. The Rangat Market held significance in the Middle Andaman district. Had a rich history spanning over 70 years. In the aftermath of this tragedy shop owners were seen salvaging their damaged belongings from their charred businesses. Litton Paul, owner of Kolkata Cloth Store expressed distress over this incident. Mentioned losses worth lakhs of rupees. He urged for an investigation into determining what caused this fire. Adding further to their distress another trader alleged that some opportunistic individuals took advantage of the chaos and stole items from affected shops. The impacted traders are now demanding justice and accountability, for both the origin of the fire and these reported thefts. —Input from ...