Cause of massive fire at a mall in Guwahati still unknown, say officials

Even after firefighters battled for nearly two days to control the massive blaze at SOHUM Emporia in Guwahati’s ABC area, officials say the exact cause of the fire remains unknown.

The fire, which erupted around 12:35 am on December 9 on the upper floors of the multi-storey commercial complex, led to dense smoke and zero visibility, severely restricting early rescue and firefighting efforts. More than 25 fire tenders were deployed as teams struggled to enter the second and third floors through much of the day.

A joint operation by Fire & Emergency Services and the NDRF finally brought the flames under control on Thursday evening, but authorities said it is still too early to determine what triggered the incident. “The actual cause of fire could not be identified till now,” officials note