Patna: A major fire broke out late Sunday night at a saw machine near Pirmuhani in the Gandhi Maidan police station area, triggering panic among residents of the densely populated neighborhood.
According to officials, the fire was reported around 1:30 AM, and despite continuous efforts, it raged on for over seven hours.
Over 30 Fire Tenders, 150 Personnel Deployed
Fire Sub-Divisional Officer Ajit Kumar confirmed the incident and said that around 30 fire brigade vehicles and over 150 firefighters have been deployed from various parts of the city, including Kankarbagh, Lodipur, Patna City, and the Secretariat.
Over 5 lakh liters of water have been used so far to bring the situation under control. Firefighters have been working non-stop without rest since the fire was reported.
Thick Smoke and Panic in the Area
The fire caused thick plumes of smoke and rapidly rising flames, creating panic among local residents. The saw machine is located near a residential and market area, raising fears of the fire spreading further. Local people remained on edge throughout the night as emergency operations continued.
Not the First Incident at the Same Site
Locals recalled that this is not the first such incident at this saw machine. In an earlier fire, a worker had lost his life due to suffocation. Sunday’s incident has once again raised questions about fire safety measures in industrial units situated in crowded areas of the city.
While no casualties have been reported so far in the latest incident, the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
Further details awaited.
