Ludhiana: A sudden fire gutted a cotton shanty and destroyed two school buses in Haibowal’s Pavitar Nagar on Tuesday afternoon, triggering widespread panic. Fanned by strong winds, the blaze quickly spread from the slum workshop—where cotton was stored for quilts—to the parked vehicles.Bystanders successfully moved another bus and a car before the flames could consume them. Fire crews responded at 3 p.m., deploying two tenders to extinguish the inferno. No injuries or casualties were reported, though the shanty and its entire inventory were completely destroyed.Police and fire officials have launched a joint investigation to determine whether a short circuit or local negligence triggered the initial blaze.
