A fire broke out at a timber store near Old Octroi post on Ludhiana- Ferozepur Road on Tuesday morning, damaging dry wood and plywood stock stored inside the warehouse.However, no casualty or injury was reported in this incident.

The fire started around 7 am when the shop was closed, and locals noticed smoke coming out from the premises and alerted the fire brigade.

Leading fireman Rajinder Kumar said two fire tenders initially reached the spot after they received information. However, due to the huge quantity of timber stored inside, the flames spread rapidly and nearly 40 to 45 fire tenders were later used during the entire operation.

“The wood was stacked closely, so the fire spread quickly from one section to another,” he said.

Fire officials managed to control the fire within nearly one-and-a-half hours, but cooling operations continued till around 12:30 pm. One fire tender remained stationed at the site for some more time as a precautionary measure.

He said that the central portion of the 50-70 ft-long hall suffered major damage, while the front and rear sections of the warehouse were largely saved. During the operation, the tin shed collapsed, making it difficult for firefighters to reach inside. Officials had to clear the fallen structure before fully cooling the area.

Kumar said melted electric wires at the site indicated that a short circuit could be the reason behind the fire.

Owner Rohit Bajaj also suspected a short circuit as the cause of the incident. He said the exact financial loss could not yet be estimated because the collapsed shed and damaged stock were still lying inside the premises.