Massive Fire Engulfs Kanpur’s Bakarganj Market, Hundreds of Shops Reduced to Ashes

Kanpur (The Uttam Hindu): A massive fire broke out early Wednesday morning in the Bakarganj Market area of Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, destroying hundreds of shops and causing huge financial losses to traders. The incident occurred in the Babupurwa police station area. The fire spread rapidly, filling the area with thick smoke and triggering panic among locals. Multiple fire engines rushed to the scene and battled for hours to bring the blaze under control.

According to eyewitnesses, the fire started around 5 a.m. By the time local shopkeepers arrived, the entire market was already engulfed in flames. One trader told IANS, “When we reached, there was fire everywhere. I had two shops worth about ₹50–60 lakh — everything is gone.”

The inferno was so intense that hundreds of shops were reduced to ashes. Smoke clouds could be seen rising from all directions as shopkeepers desperately tried to save their belongings but were helpless against the raging flames. “The fire broke out suddenly; we don’t know how it started. My clothing shop is completely destroyed,” said a shopkeeper named Shahzade.

Another trader, Usha Rathore, said, “We were asleep when someone informed us that the market was on fire. Initially, there were no fire tenders — we had to call them ourselves. My shop had goods worth ₹13–14 lakh, all burnt down. I suspect this was not a random accident; how could all shops catch fire at once?”

A third trader, Ajay, said, “When I reached the spot, the entire market was already burnt. I had two shops worth nearly ₹50–60 lakh, and everything turned to ashes.” The exact cause of the fire is still unknown. Police and the fire department have begun investigating the incident.