A sudden, fierce fire broke out on Kamatchi Amman temple Street near the famous Arunachaleswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai on Wednesday night, turning calm local shops into a blaze scene! The fire started around 9:20 p.m. in a small pooja items shop owned by S. Sabeer Ahmed. The shopkeeper spotted smoke coming from an electrical box inside his shop, which sits on the ground floor of a commercial complex with about 30 shops. The real danger? A large pile of camphor—around two tonnes—was stored very close to the electrical box. Sparks from the electrical unit ignited the camphor, creating a roaring fire that quickly swallowed the entire 100 sq.ft shop. Flames roared and spread fast, threatening nearby stores and vehicles. One worker, 35-year-old Mohammed Ali, was badly burned on both his hands while trying to control the situation. Luckily, nearby shopkeepers and residents rushed in just in time, pulling both Ali and Sabeer Ahmed to safety amid their desperate screams for help. Responding swiftly to the emergency, the Tiruvannamalai Town police teamed up with firefighters from Arunachaleswarar Temple. Led by Station Fire Officer A. Palaniswamy, an eight-member team battled the fierce fire through the narrow street, working overnight to stop the fire from spreading further. Mr. Palaniswamy told The Hindu, “We completely doused the fire and smoke around 6.45 a.m. on Thursday. The incident occurred around one kilometre from the Arunachaleswara temple.” In the end, the fire destroyed not only the pooja shop but also an adjacent shop and seven two-wheelers parked nearby. Authorities suspect the root cause was an electrical short circuit in the box, which set off the camphor firestorm. The police have launched a probe to uncover all details. This fiery mishap stands as a fierce reminder to handle flammable materials like camphor with extra care, especially near electrical equipment. The community remains grateful that no lives were lost, though the damage shakes the nearby traders.