A double storey building was gutted in a fire in Rapadi Bamta village in Rohru subdivision of Shimla district today morning and property worth lakhs of rupees was destroyed, police said.
There was no loss of human life in the incident, they added.
The fire spread fast and the heavily timbered building with nine rooms was reduced to ashes before the fire brigade could reach. The owner of the house Mangat Ram and Rakesh Kumar ran out to save themselves but the building and other belongings could not be salvaged, police said.
The house was stood a little away from the village and fire tenders took time in reaching the spot through a narrow road, an official said. The villagers tried to douse the fire but could not control it as the flames engulfed the house within minutes.
The cause fire could not be ascertained but sources said short circuiting could be the reason. A case has been registered and investigations are in progress, police said.