Fire Brigade Averts Major Mishap Near Generator Room
Key Points:
- Electricity meter catches fire at Shanti Bhawan in Bank More area
- Fire brigade controls blaze before it reaches nearby generator room
- Residents flee building amid smoke and sparks from meter
DHANBAD – A sudden fire broke out in an electricity meter at Shanti Bhawan in the Bank More locality on Wednesday, triggering panic among residents. The blaze produced heavy smoke and sparks, forcing people living in the building to rush outside in fear.
Firefighters reached the spot soon after receiving information about the incident. They worked quickly to bring the flames under control, averting what could have turned into a much larger disaster.
Shanti Bhawan is located in a crowded commercial stretch of Bank More. The sudden eruption of smoke and sparks from the meter created chaos across the building, with occupants of several flats scrambling down in a bid to save themselves.
Fire tenders arrived at the scene shortly after being alerted and launched an operation to douse the flames. Firefighting personnel battled the blaze for some time before finally bringing it under control.
A generator room situated adjacent to the meter escaped damage, which local residents described as a stroke of good fortune. Had the fire spread to that room, it could have triggered an explosion and caused a far more serious accident.
Neighbours also stepped in to help control the situation. Residents of Madhulika Enclave, located next to Shanti Bhawan, brought fire safety equipment from their own premises to assist in dousing the flames. Meanwhile, occupants of Shanti Bhawan alleged that their building lacked adequate fire safety equipment and other necessary security arrangements.
Preliminary investigations suggest that a short circuit was behind the fire. Electricity supply in the area was also disrupted for some time following the incident. However, the alertness of the fire department and local residents ensured that the blaze was brought under control in time, and no casualties were reported.
Fire-related emergencies have repeatedly tested civic preparedness across the state — a blaze had earlier been averted at TMH without damage, while a similar close call occurred at the SNMMCH dialysis wing. Market fires have also caused significant losses in the past, including one that gutted shops in Kadma market and another that caused heavy damage at Milkhiram Market in Sakchi. Elsewhere, a fire had charred a shop in Bundu, and an older blaze had caused extensive loss in a paint shop in Sonari. Electrical mishaps involving high-tension infrastructure have also been reported in the past, such as when a man climbed a high-tension tower in Golmuri. In Dhanbad, civic infrastructure concerns continue to draw attention from residents.
