Medicines, equipment worth Rs. 1 crore reduced to rubble 

Mysore/Mysuru: Medicines and equipment worth more than Rs. 1 crore were reduced to ashes at a medical store in Kuvempunagar past last midnight. The fire has been attributed to short circuit. 

The fire was observed at Mega Medicals at 1.30 am and the entire building was engulfed in flames. The medical store is located on the road opposite Shanthi Sagar Hotel in Kuvempunagar. What started as a small fire inside the store spread to the entire building. 

It is a busy area and as it was past midnight, there were hardly any people. However, some passers-by alerted the Kuvempunagar Police who informed the Fire Department. As the building that was on fire was located close to other buildings, there was a danger of the inferno spreading to neighbouring structures. 

Fire tenders from Saraswathipuram and Bannimantap rushed to the spot and in an operation that lasted till today morning, doused the fire. In his statement to the Fire Officers, shop owner Sameer said that the store was a retail outlet-cum-storage godown where large quantity of medicines and cold storage equipment were kept. He told them that the total loss can be pegged at more than Rs. 1 crore. 

Over 30 employees work in the store and as the fire occurred past midnight, there was no harm to human lives, said fire officials. The building is 15 years old, said officials. Kuvempunagar Police Inspector Raju visited the place and has registered a case.