New Delhi – About 150 shops in the market of Twante in Rangoon division were gutted when a fire broke out from an electric short circuit on Tuesday night, local residence said.

The fire broke out in Twante market Rangoon Division at about 10:15 on Tuesday night. It was controlled and extinguished at about 2 a.m. Wednesday by local people and monks.

"About two thirds of the market was reduced to ashes. One of the two fire tenders of the Twante fire department had a flat tyre and another one had no fuel. The fire fighters didn't ask for water and did nothing to extinguish the fire. They stood silently as mute spectators," an eyewitness told Mizzima.

The local fire department officials estimated the loss to be about Kyat 30 million in the fire which destroyed about 150 shops including gold jewellery shops, the eyewitness said.

About 100 monks from nearby Shweletkoke and Kyaungthit monasteries and local people came to help extinguish the fire and later they were joined by fire tenders from Dala and Hlaingtharyar Townships.

The authorities took away three watchmen from the market for investigation into the fire.