kanpur atleast nine shops mostly dealing with grocery products were gutted in a major fire at baqarganj area in babupurwa on late saturday nightthe blaze was first spotted by the locals of the area who alerted the fire and police departments the flames soon spread to other shops they saidby the time fire tenders reached the spot nine shops were already engulfed in flames said the police sourcesat least nine shops were reduced to ashes as fire fighters struggled for nearly two hours to contain the blaze said policefour fire tenders from meerpur fire station were pressed into service to ensure that the flames were contained they added with no specific reason yet ascertained most of the affected shopkeepers demanded an immediate probe into the incidentinspector babupurwa janardan pratap singh said as per shopkeepers an estimated loss of rs 50 lakh was assessed in the loss meanwhile investigations are underway to ascertain the source which ignited the fire