Chhattisgarh: Three die of suffocation after fire engulfs commercial complex in Korba

Three persons died of suffocation after a fire broke out at a commercial complex in Chhattisgarh's Korba city on Monday afternoon, an official said.

Seventeen persons, who were rescued from the complex, have been hospitalised, he said.

The blaze broke out around 1.30 pm in a garment shop in the two-storey complex near Transport Nagar square, and gradually spread to other establishments, Korba collector Sanjeev Kumar Jha told PTI.

The complex houses 18 to 20 shops and a branch of a bank, he said.

In a video of the incident, some people can be seen jumping from a corner of the first floor onto a mattress held by people standing below.

Within 15 minutes of being alerted, fire fighting teams from NTPC, CSEB (Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board) and Balco reached the spot and personnel from the police, home guard and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) launched a rescue operation, the official said.

The blaze was doused within one-and-a-half hours and around 20 people were rescued from the building, he said.

Three of them died of suffocation and smoke inhalation, while the others were hospitalised and their condition was stated to be normal, the official said.

As per preliminary investigation, a short circuit triggered the fire in the garment shop, he said.