IMPHAL, October 21: An accident caused devastation at Koirengei bazaar this late evening when a speeding Getz car hit a shop igniting an inferno.
A five-year old boy who was at a shop with his mother to buy household items has been confirmed burnt to death. The mother also recieved burn injuries.
Around 8pm, a speeding Getz car coming from Imphal side crashed into a shop igniting a fire which speedily spread to the nearby houses devastating more than eight structures including shops, houses, workshops, hotels.
The car has also been damaged beyond recognition.
The boy has been identified as Thokchom Loyumba son of T Shyamkishore and T (o) Ibempishak. The family who is originally from Achanbigei runs a shop opposite to the buildings razed by the fire.
The occupants of the car including the driver managed to flee from the site, locals said.
Locals also said that the mother of the boy has been rushed to the nearby Catholic Medical Centre along with some other injured women. However, the exact number of injured cannot be confirmed till the filling of this report.
Locals also said that there is no confirmation of how many people are trapped inside the building, as the inhabitants of the buildings are nowhere to be found in the area. This has created apprehensions that many more could be buried under the debris, locals added.
More than five fire tenders arrived around 8:20pm to control the fire, they said. The fire was brought under control only around 9pm, although by that time the buildings were already razed to the ground.
Heingang police have taken the body of the boy for post mortem.