Lumbini, Jun 21: A devastating fire that broke out on Thursday evening at the Delta Complex in Milan Chowk, Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City-8, has caused an estimated loss of over Rs 500 million.

Pathak, the owner of the complex, stated that efforts are ongoing to compile a comprehensive assessment of the damage, but preliminary estimates suggest the loss exceeds Rs 500 million. The fire, which began at approximately 6:30 PM on the fourth floor of the four-story metal-structured building, was completely extinguished by 2 AM. However, by then, the entire building and all its contents were destroyed.

The Delta Complex housed a variety of businesses including stationary shops, over two dozen ready-made school uniform stores, raw and ready-made cloth shops, a Nepali clothes house, sports equipment retailers, shoe markets, and foodstuff businesses.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Vijayraj Pandit, Head of the Area Police Office in Butwal, confirmed that all the shops in the complex suffered extensive damage. Despite efforts to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby motor garages, petrol pumps, and dense residential areas, the complex itself was completely gutted.

To combat the blaze, a total of 13 fire engines were deployed from Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City, Devdah, Sainamaina, Siddharthnagar, Lumbini Cultural Municipality, Bardghat, Parasi of Nawalparasi, Wanganga of Kapilvastu, as well as from Nepal Oil Corporation Bhalwari and Gautam Buddha International Airport.