POONCH, Sep 11: A newly opened Chinar Cafe in Mandi town of Poonch district was completely gutted in a massive fire that broke out early Friday morning following twin LPG cylinder explosions.
According to officials, the incident occurred around 3 to 4 am when two LPG cylinders inside the closed cafe exploded with loud bangs, triggering a major fire.
The blaze rapidly engulfed the eatery, destroying its entire structure, furniture and other belongings. No casualties were reported as the cafe was closed when the incident took place.
Hearing the explosions, local residents rushed to the spot and alerted the police and Fire and Emergency Services. Fire tenders reached the site and, after sustained firefighting efforts, brought the blaze under control and prevented it from spreading to nearby shops.
Police have taken cognizance of the incident and launched an investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the cylinder blasts and subsequent fire.
