Agra Oct 27 (IANS): A massive fire on Saturday gutted more than half a dozen temporary shops in the busy Sultanpura market, close to the Agra Cantt railway station.

Several fire brigade tenders were put on the job to contain the fire from spreading, Agra Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bablu Singh said.

The cause of fire was not immediately known, but a shopkeeper blamed a child for lighting a cracker dangerously close to the firecracker stalls in the ground opposite the NC Vedic Inter College.

Police cordoned off the area to control the crowd. Seven temporary stalls were fully destroyed in the engulfing flames that could be seen from the railway station and the Sadar Bazar, curious onlookers said. Luckily, there was no loss of life, but several bikes were burnt.

District authorities have earmarked 17 spots for temporary firecracker markets in different parts of the city, but most do not have adequate emergency fire fighting equipment and facilities.