Fire incidents at various places in Bihar were reported on Friday, claiming lives of five people and destroying properties worth lakhs.
District Magistrate of Patna N Sharvan Kumar told The Pioneer that at least 100 shops were gutted in the fire which broke out at New Market locality of the State capital around 11.30 am. He said that it took around two and half hours to control the fire, which engulfed the entire area within no time. The strong wind only helped the raging flames to spread over the busy locality, situated near Patna railway station.
Majority of shops were engaged in the business of cotton and woolen materials and waste goods too. A good number of shops were also stuffed with the coal chips too, making the fire fighting operation more difficult.
The DM said that no body was, however, injured in the fire incident. At least 12 fire tenders from the State Fire Department, one fire tender each from Patna Airport and Air Force Station were pressed into service to douse the flames.
Superintendent of Police (City) Jayant Kant said that the cause of fire could not be immediately ascertained. Eyewitnesses claimed that the fire started when a burning stove fell on the floor of one of the thatched shops.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also visited the spot to take stock of the situation.
In another shocking incident, five people were killed when the fire broke out in a thatched house under Gardanibagh police station area of Patna.
The deceased were Shambhu Prasad (50), his wife (45), son Vikas Kumar (8), daughter Nishu Kuamri (5) and mother-in-law, Shakuntala Devi (70).
The police said that they were supplying electricity to their house through an illegal connection. The electric wire was found partially burnt, indicating that the cause of fire might be short-circuit. The house was locked from inside and victims could not have managed to escape from the inferno as they were probably not able to locate the key, sources added.
Meanwhile, nearly 350 houses and shops were gutted when the fire broke out in Bahadurnagar and Kutlupur villages in Munger district.
District Magistrate of Munger Kuldeep Narayan said that four people, including a woman and two children, sustained injuries in the incident, He said that the cause of the fire was not immediately known.