New Delhi: A fire engulfed the century-old Kasauli Heritage Market in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district early Monday. The incident occurred around 4:30 am and the flames were so intense that eight shops were gutted within minutes.
The incident triggered panic among the residents living in the area, though no casualties were reported, but caused an estimate loss of Rs 3 crore.
The fire spread across multiple structures, sending thick flames of black smoke into the air, which was visible from quite far away.
VIDEO | Solan, Himachal Pradesh: Fire breaks out at a market in Kasauli; further details awaited.
(Source: Third Party)
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/4gwHwv4Zbu
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 13, 2026
What caused the fire?
According to Kasauli sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Mahendra Pratap Singh, a short circuit is believed to be the cause behind the fire. “The fire broke out in an eatery and spread to adjacent shops,” he said.
Mahendra added, “LPG cylinders also exploded, intensifying the blaze. The fire was brought under control at around 10.30 am.”
Several LPG cylinders exploded inside the affected shops, which then quickly spread across the market.
Personnel from the fire department, along with a Quick Response Team from the Army, made concrete efforts to get the fire under control.
Additionally, police personnel were deployed at the site as it took almost five hours to bring the situation under control. The Heritage market primarily houses food and beverage outlets.
Users share visuals on social media-
Tragedy Strikes Kasauli: 100-Year-Old Heritage Market Reduced to Ashes.
The devastating fire that broke out last night in the historic Heritage Market of Kasauli is truly heartbreaking 💔
What started around 3 AM in a single restaurant quickly turned uncontrollable, reducing… pic.twitter.com/Cy3MjoV4BW
— The Modern Himachal (@themodernhp) April 13, 2026
Massive Fire Broke Out in famous Tourist Spot Kasauli, Solan, Himachal. 125 Years Old Heritage Market left in Ashes. #himachal #kasauli #himachalfire pic.twitter.com/gJA7omMW5T
— Vinod Katwal (@Katwal_Vinod) April 13, 2026
What all got impacted?
The shop owners have suffered major losses due to the incident. One of the damaged properties is one of the oldest and well-known outlets in the market, the Narinder Bun Samosa Shop, which has been a go-to spot for many actors like Sanjay Dutt.
Solan deputy commissioner (DC) Man Mohan Sharma said that each of the eight affected shopkeepers will receive Rs 25,000 as immediate relief fund from the administration.
Fire officials said, “Around 10-12 burnt LPG cylinders were found at the site, and many of them were badly damaged or torn apart due to the heat”, as reported by The Tribune.
The local residents expressed anger over the negligence, saying that the fire could have been controlled sooner if the repeated cylinder blasts had not disrupted the firefighting work.