At least seven persons died while nine others were injured as a fire broke out in a paint shop in Gwalior city and soon engulfed the entire building in which the shop existed.
The fire started at around 10 am close to Indarganj square in a paint shop based at the ground floor of a three-storey building housing 16 members of two families in upper floors.
In no time, thick smoke started billowing out on the old building situated in cramped area which made things difficult for the fire tenders and fire fighters. Locals alleged that fire tenders did not reach on time after the fire broke out.
The old building had a single narrow passage of stairs for movement and this was engulfed completely in flames so rescue efforts were hindered and survivors had little chance of escaping the fire.
Onlookers claimed that the paint shop was open and due to a short circuit, a fire broke out and it soon turned into inferno due to the stock of inflammable paints stored there. The buyers soon came out of the shop and shouted for dwellers of the building to vacate the premises but the fire soon engulfed the building not giving chance to anyone to escape. The water doused by locals on the fire proved negligible given the intensity of the flames.
Addl SP Gwalior Satendra Singh Tomar claimed that police and fire tenders have reached within ten minutes of the incident but claimed that the building had width of around 80feet and amid thick smoke and flames, it was quite difficult for fire fighters to reach inside it.
Total seven persons including four women and three kids died in the incident while nine others were rescued. Among rescued, two have been rushed to hospital with severe burn injuries, said the officer.