Muzaffarpur: A devastating fire broke out late Tuesday night in the Pathan Toli area of Kanti police station in Muzaffarpur district, resulting in the tragic deaths of two individuals. Two others remain in critical condition.
Upon receiving the distress call, fire brigade teams rushed to the scene and battled the flames for over one and a half hours before bringing the fire under control. Police personnel from multiple stations, including Kanti, also reached the site to assist in rescue operations.
The fire erupted on the upper floor of a two-storey house in Damodarpur Shanti Vihar Colony, posing a significant challenge for the fire brigade due to the narrow access roads. Six fire engines were deployed in the operation.
Senior District Fire Commandant Triloknath Jha stated that a strong smell of petrol was detected in the air, raising concerns about the fire spreading to other sections of the house. Firefighters managed to prevent the blaze from reaching the lower floors through continuous water spraying from multiple directions.
The victims were identified as Dharmendra Patel (35), son of Chandradev Rai, and his niece Shalu Kumari (17), residents of Batarol in Nariyar Panchayat, under Motipur police station. According to eyewitnesses, they were trapped in a room on the upper floor and succumbed to the flames.
The deceased’s wife, Meera Devi (30), and son, Mayank Kumar (8), were rescued by local villagers. Dharmendra Patel worked as a nozzle operator at Amardeep Petrol Pump alongside his elder brother, Awadhesh Kumar Patel. His brother-in-law is also employed there.
The fire reportedly started near the toilet area and quickly spread across the upper floor. The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team arrived at the scene to collect evidence and determine the cause of the fire.
“It is difficult to say how the fire started. It took two full hours to douse the flames. A large fire engine was called from Motipur fire station, and three fire engines were used to extinguish the fire,” said Triloknath Jha, Home Guard District Commandant and District Fire Officer of Muzaffarpur.
Authorities, including Home Guard District Commandant Trilokinath Jha and Kanti Police Station Head Sudhakar Pandey, are conducting a detailed investigation to determine the exact cause of the tragic incident.
