1,300 shops gutted in devastating fire in India's Kolkata

NEW DELHI, June 16 (Xinhua) -- At least 1,300 shops were gutted in a devastating fire Monday at a marketplace in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata, officials said.

However, no loss of life or injuries have been reported in the blaze.

The fire broke out early Monday in the 150-year-old Khidirpur market of Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal.

Following the fire, authorities rushed 20 fire tenders to the spot to bring the blaze under control and prevent it from spreading to adjacent areas.

A senior fire service official said the blaze in the market spread rapidly due to the densely congested area. The presence of highly flammable materials such as gunny sacks, edible oil, and butter in nearby warehouses intensified the flames, the official said.

Police have registered a case to ascertain the cause of the fire. However, a short circuit is suspected to have triggered the fire.