Haldwani: A major fire broke out late Tuesday night at a footwear showroom on Meera Marg in Haldwani, triggering panic in the busy market area. The blaze quickly intensified, engulfing a large portion of the shop before firefighters managed to bring it under control.
The affected showroom, operating under the name Masha Shoes, belongs to Sumer Siddiqui, son of Samajwadi Party leader Abdul Mateen Siddiqui. According to reports, the showroom had been closed for the day when the incident occurred. Around 10 p.m., local residents noticed smoke emerging from the premises and immediately informed the owner and emergency services.
Fire department personnel rushed to the spot and launched an intensive firefighting operation. Four fire tenders were deployed, and it took nearly one and a half hours to control the flames. Officials said timely information helped prevent the fire from spreading to adjoining shops in the densely packed commercial area.
The showroom owner stated that goods worth several lakhs of rupees were destroyed in the incident.
Cause of Fire Under Investigation
Fire Station Officer Minder Pal Singh said the exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined. The fire department will conduct a detailed assessment of the damage and investigate the source of the blaze.
Although most shops had closed for the day, news of the fire spread rapidly, drawing a large crowd to the area. Local residents noted that the market remains heavily crowded during daytime hours, and a fire during business hours could have posed a much greater risk to public safety.
The incident came after another firefighting operation earlier in the day at a school in the Hiranagar area of Mukhani. Officials said firefighting teams remained on high alert and faced continuous emergency calls throughout the day.
As a precautionary measure, the local power utility disconnected electricity supply in the area during the firefighting operation. Authorities later restored services after the situation was brought under control.No casualties were reported in the incident.
