Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, Nov 3: Panic gripped Ghorabandha area under Govindpur police station late Sunday night after a massive fire broke out outside an Ola Service Centre, reducing several vehicles to ashes.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred around 11 pm when smoke began billowing from one of the cars parked outside the centre.
Within minutes, the flames spread rapidly to other nearby vehicles. The blaze was so intense that residents rushed out of their homes in fear.
Locals immediately tried to douse the fire and informed the fire brigade and police.
Firefighters reached the spot promptly and managed to bring the flames under control after a strenuous effort.
However, by then, several vehicles had been completely gutted.
Residents alleged that the Ola Service Centre owner, Tapas Das, had illegally converted roadside and forest department land into a parking area with the company’s connivance.
Despite repeated complaints, neither the forest department nor the administration took any action, they claimed.
People also pointed out that a transformer stands right opposite the parking area, and had the fire reached it, a major explosion and loss of life could have occurred.
Locals blamed administrative negligence for the incident and demanded immediate removal of the illegal parking area, freeing of encroached forest land, and a thorough probe into the fire to ensure strict action against those responsible.
