Fire at Shillong Literary Fest Destroys 4 Food Stalls, Halts Musical Program

A fire broke out on Thursday evening at the venue of the Shillong Literary Fest, engulfing four food stalls and forcing organisers to halt a live musical program that was underway. The blaze was reported to have started in the kitchen area of one of the stalls, spreading quickly due to the high density of food stalls and stage equipment. Organisers and local police rushed to the scene, extinguishing the flames within an hour and preventing damage to the main stage and other stalls. The incident has prompted a review of safety protocols for the festival, with organisers stating that they will work closely with fire authorities to ensure such incidents do not recur in future editions.