At least ten residential quarters cum shops were razed to ashes while properties worth lakhs of rupees were damaged as a devastating fire broke out at the wee hours of Friday morning around 2:00 am near Naga Hospital, Kohima along the National Highway-39. Sources revealed that the fire broke out from one of the shops immediately spreading to the attached houses made of wood and timber ravaging at least eight shops with residential quarters and one private residence.<br/><br/>Colony people battled the fire with the help of local water tankers as well as the stored water in adjoining houses, besides taking out goods from the inferno. The fire turned devastating with bursting of a gas cylinder, however, no lost of life or serious casualties were reported.<br/><br/>The colony denizens regretted the lapses in the part of the police fire tender for reaching the spot almost after 40 minutes of getting the information.<br/>