One dead, 10 rescued after massive fire at marketing complex in Ranchi

Ranchi, April 27 (IANS) A man was killed and two others injured after a fire broke out at a marketing complex at Kantatoli Chowk in Ranchi on Sunday.

About 10 people, who were trapped amid thick smoke and flames, were successfully rescued, officials said.

The blaze, which reportedly started in a closed clothing shop within the complex, is suspected to have been triggered by a short circuit.

At the time of the incident, most shops in the complex were closed, which limited the spread of the fire but caused heavy smoke.

Eyewitnesses said flames were first seen emanating from the locked shop, and soon, smoke engulfed the entire area.

The complex, along with the residential quarters built above it, belongs to Mohammad Ainul Alam and his family. Several family members, including women and children, found themselves trapped as the smoke quickly filled the premises.

Locals sprang into action and helped rescue all those stranded inside.

However, in a tragic turn of events, Mohammad Ainul Alam re-entered the smoke-filled building to ensure no one was left behind. He collapsed inside due to suffocation and was later pulled out by rescue teams.

Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Fire-fighting operations, which lasted about two hours, managed to bring the blaze under control. Preliminary estimates suggest losses running into several lakhs of rupees.

This shows a worrying pattern of fire incidents across Jharkhand in recent weeks. In the past 50 days alone, 12 people have died in four major fire incidents across the state.

On April 21, a mother and daughter died in a fire that broke out in a clothing store in Panchamba, Giridih city.

On March 17, four children perished in a house fire in Geetilipi village under Jagannathpur police station in West Singhbhum district.

On March 10, five people, including three children, died when a firecracker shop caught fire in Godarmana market, Garhwa district.

--IANS

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