Hotel, 5 shops gutted in fire in Hampi

A hotel and five shops adjacent to it were reduced to ashes after cooking gas cylinder exploded near Virupaksha temple in Hampi on Thursday night.

The incident occurred very close to the World Heritage Site but there was no loss of life in the explosion. The hotel and the shops were constructed with bamboo and wood and hence the fire spread rapidly. It is learnt that there were around eight LPG cylinders in the hotel when the blast occurred.

The hotel had earned a name for itself in Hampi. The incident occurred in the area known as Janatha Colony, known for commercial activities. The Hampi Authority has taken steps to shift the commercial shops here and the matter is pending before a court.