Seventy Five shops gutted in Phase IV rehri market

Fire-fighting efforts were hindered by the absence of hydrants in the market or any place nearby. The fire tenders of the S.A.S. Nagar brigade which initially battled the blaze were not carrying water to full capacity and could throw water for only a few minutes before rushing away to refill their tanks.

A local social worker, Rajender Kumar Saini, charged that though the S.A.S. Nagar Fire Brigade was summoned immediately, "fire tenders reached late". Tenders summoned from Chandigarh and the SCL factory reached only around 6:30 p.m. The fire was brought under control around 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, on the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, State Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Chiranji Lal Garg and State Minister for Irrigation Sikandar Lal Malik, DGP Sarabjit Singh, SDM O.P. Popli and S.A.S. Nagar Superintendent of Police B.S. Randhawa visited the site of the fire to ascertain the loss of property. They assured shopkeepers that they would be compensated. Despite the crowds in the market, there was no loss of life or any injury.

MC councillor Kuljeet Singh Bedi has demanded an inquiry into the cause of the fire and compensation for shopkeepers.