Dharamshala, April 14 -- A massive fire broke out in the Heritage Market at Kasauli in Solan district early on Monday, gutting eight shops and causing an estimated loss of Rs.3 crore. No casualties were reported in the incident. Officials said the fire started around 4am and quickly engulfed several structures, sending plumes of black smoke visible from a distance. The market, a prominent landmark in the hill station, is more than 100 years old. Four fire tenders-two from Parwanoo and one each from Banlgi and Solan-were deployed at the scene. Firemen took about five hours to douse the flames. The blaze was intensified by multiple LPG cylinder blasts within the affected shops, which included eateries, gift shops, and a medical store. A local resident said that they heard the explosions of LPG cylinders early in the morning, while the fire quickly engulfed the shops in the market. Kasauli sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Mahender Pratap Singh said the fire appears to have been caused by a short circuit. "The fire broke out in an eatery and spread to adjacent shops," he said, adding: "LPG cylinders also exploded, intensifying the blaze. The fire was brought under control at around 10.30 am." The shopkeepers have suffered extensive losses in the fire incident. Avinash Sehgal, whose gift shop was gutted in the fire, said, "I got to know about the fire at 6.30 am. This was my only source of income and now everything has been reduced to ashes. I had items worth Rs.25 lakh in the shop." The fire has also gutted the famous and one of the oldest shops (Narinder Bun Samosa Shop) in the Kasauli heritage market. Gunbir Singh Sodhi, a local resident, said, "We have grown up looking at this market and this is unimaginable. The famous Narinder Bun Samosa shop is more of a landmark in this market. It is part of the history here and has been very famous even among celebrities and noted personalities." Solan deputy commissioner (DC) Man Mohan Sharma said that the administration provided immediate relief assistance amounting to Rs.25,000 each to all the eight shopkeepers affected by the fire incident. "The local administration, police and fire department initiated immediate action upon receiving information about the incident," he said....