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Major fire in Asia's biggest mango market

Almost the entire mango market in Vijayawada, which is Asia's largest, was gutted in a major fire on Monday night destroying large stocks of mangoes apart from lorries, tractors, air-coolers and transformers.

No casualties, however, were reported.

As many as 71 shops of the total 80 were gutted in the fire, a local fire officer said.

A stray spark from an oven where a worker was cooking his dinner is suspected to have caused the fire, he said, adding that strong winds fanned the flames as a result of which the hay used for packing the mangoes helped the fire spread very fast.

Six fire tenders were pressed into service to put out the blaze, which broke out around 0800 pm on Monday. The fire was still smouldering, said police.

The details of the property damage can be known only after the fire is completely put out, the fire officer added.

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