SAPTARI: Properties worth more than Rs 300,000 were destroyed when a sweet shop caught fire at Chhinnamasta Rural Municipality-3 in Saptari district on Wednesday.

The fire triggered when a cooking gas cylinder exploded inside the shop owned by Ganga Ram Shah, according to the Saptari District Police Office.

Another sweet shop adjacent to Shah's shop also caught fire, incurring loss, victim Ramnath Shah said.

The fire was doused by locals and security personnel.