Chandigarh, April 26 -- A massive fire tore through a second-floor house in Sector 52 on Friday morning, gutting nearly all household belongings and leaving the walls blackened with soot.

The blaze, which broke out around 11.50 am, reduced clothes, furniture, bedding and cash to ashes, causing extensive damage before firefighters could bring it under control. However, a potential cylinder explosion was averted.

The firefighting effort was hampered by a 15-minute delay as congested lanes and low-hanging power lines obstructed the entry of fire tenders. Despite responding to the scene promptly, firefighters had to wait for the electricity department to disconnect the supply before they could move in by safely lifting the wires.

By the ti...