Man burnt alive as fire breaks out in dhaba

Shimla: A man was burnt alive when a fire broke out at a dhaba here late this evening, police said.

The fire reportedly broke out after a leaking cylinder caught fire which exploded later along with three other cylinders in succession with deafening noise, fire brigade officials said.

“We received a call at 8.30 PM and four fire tenders, two from Mall Road and one each from Chhota Shimla and Boileauganj, were rushed to the spot and it took one-and-a- half-hour to bring the fire under control,” they said.

The staff of the dhaba and customers ran out in panic but one employee was caught in the flames and charred to death, police said.

The dhaba, Tara Bhojanalya, was close to the Baba market and a major fire was averted as the fire brigade stopped the flames from spreading to adjoining buildings, they said.

The body of the victim was recovered and sent for post mortem, they added.
PTI