Rangamati: At least 100 houses and eight shops were gutted in a fire that broke out at Roserve Bazar in the district town early Wednesday.

The fire originated from gas stove of a tea stall around 2:30 am and soon engulfed adjacent shops and houses, said witnesses.

On information, firefighters, numbering 50, from Rangamati and Kaptai fire stations rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control around 4 am, said Golam Mostafa, assistant director of Rangamati fire service.

The cause of the fire as well as the extent of losses could not be ascertained yet, he added.

The affected owners of shops and houses, however, claimed that the extent of losses in the fire would go up to several crore taka.

Rangamati deputy commissioner Mohammad Manzurul Mannan stayed on the spot until the fire was doused.