An elderly couple was tragically killed in a massive fire that engulfed the Bashbari market in Assam’s Bongaigaon district on Friday night.

Sources informed that the blaze started while the couple was asleep at their tea stall within the market. Unfortunately, they were unable to escape the inferno and were charred to death.

The deceased have been identified as Dulal Bhattacharya and his wife Koushalya Bhattacharya.

The fire ravaged three shops, including the Bhattacharyas' tea stall, destroying goods worth lakhs. Fire tenders arrived soon after and managed to extinguish the blaze, but the damage was extensive.

The cause of the fire is said to be due to a cylinder blast in one of the shops in the vicinity.