A major fire gutted a more than 100 years old auditorium in Kolhapur city of western Maharashtra, officials said on Friday.

The auditorium, Keshavrao Bhosale Natyagruha, which stood as a symbol of arts and drama in Kolhapur, was gutted in the blaze that broke out on Thursday night, the district officials said The auditorium was built by Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj in 1915.

According to the district administration, a short-circuit is suspected to have triggered the fire.

"The fire erupted around 9.45 pm on Thursday. Following the call, fire tenders and water tankers were rushed to the site and attempts were made to douse the flames," a fire brigade official said.

Hasan Mushrif, the guardian minister of Kolhapur, later visited the spot and said an inquiry will be conducted.

He said, "It is unfortunate that the auditorium, which was built by Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj 109 years ago, was gutted in a fire. No one could have imagined that the auditorium would be destroyed like this." The auditorium had been renovated after the state government granted Rs 10 crore for the work, he said.

"An inquiry will be conducted into the incident," Mushrif said.

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