The fire started between 2:30 am and 3 am near the UCO Bank branch and quickly spread to a nearby building.
A major fire broke out in the Old Bus Stand area of Arki subdivision in Solan district early Monday morning, claiming the life of a young boy and leaving four to five people feared trapped, police said.
The fire started between 2:30 am and 3 am near the UCO Bank branch and quickly spread to a nearby building. Two residential structures housing several families were engulfed in flames within minutes, causing panic in the area.
Officials said both buildings were completely gutted. The fire intensified after LPG cylinders inside the buildings exploded, reducing a large part of the Arki market area to ashes.
Firefighting teams from Ambuja Cements Darlaghat, Banalegi, Boileuganj and Solan, along with local fire tenders, rushed to the spot. After several hours of effort, the blaze was brought under control around 7 am.
Solan Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh confirmed that the body of a boy, believed to be around seven to eight years old, was found charred inside the UCO Bank building, which also suffered extensive damage.
Solan Deputy Commissioner Manmohan Sharma and Arki MLA Sanjay Awasthi visited the site to review rescue and relief operations. Police and disaster response teams are continuing search operations as some people are still feared trapped.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, and an investigation is underway.
