At least 15 shops were gutted in a fire at Maju Chaudhurirhat Bazar in Lakshmipur`s Sadar upazila early Thursday.

Three units of Lakshmipur Fire Service brought the fire under control. The goods of the shops were burnt in the fire. Among the burnt shops are hardware, plastic and cloth shops.

The fire service is investigating how the fire started.

Two businessmen and local UP member Abdur Rahman Swapan blamed the fire service`s delay in reaching the spot for the burning of the shops.

According to locals, the fire broke out on the south side of the market immediately after Fajr prayers. Then the fire spread to the adjacent shops quickly. Later, fire service personnel came and brought the fire under control. Earlier, 15 shops were burnt to ashes in the fire.

Lakshmipur Fire Service Assistant Deputy Director Abdul Mannan said, ``We received a phone call at 6:20 am and reached the spot quickly. Meanwhile, the fire spread. As there were more cloth shops, the level of flames was higher. Our three units took about an hour to bring the fire under control.``