Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, Oct 8: A massive fire broke out late Tuesday night on the BNR Maidan Road in Bagbera, reducing five shops to ashes and causing losses worth several lakhs of rupees. The incident, which occurred around 1 a.m., triggered panic among residents but fortunately resulted in no casualties.
According to eyewitnesses, the blaze is believed to have started from garbage dumped along the roadside before rapidly spreading to nearby shops. Within minutes, flames engulfed the entire stretch, destroying Maa Bhavani Ply Store, Gopal Chicken Shop, two puncture repair shops and a potato outlet. The presence of highly flammable materials such as plywood and chicken feed further intensified the fire.
Teams from Bagbera police station and the fire department rushed to the spot, deploying four fire tenders—two from the state government and two from Tata Steel. Firefighters battled the blaze for nearly three hours, using local water sources to contain the flames.
On receiving news of the incident, Potka MLA Sanjib Sardar visited the site on Wednesday morning to assess the situation and speak with the affected shopkeepers. “This is an unfortunate and painful incident. I assure the shopkeepers that they will receive every possible assistance. I will personally speak to the administration to ensure they get proper compensation,” Sardar said.
Former district councilor Kishore Yadav, village head Mayawati Tudu and several local representatives were present at the scene. Police have cordoned off the area and launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire. Preliminary reports suggest an electrical short circuit or burning waste could have sparked the blaze.
