11 shops gutted in two Bokaro fire incidents

Bokaro: Two major fire incidents within 24 hours have caused substantial property damage in the township. A massive blaze near the railway station destroyed approximately 10 shops at Kurmidih, while another fire gutted a shoe store in Sector 11. Though no casualties were reported, both incidents resulted in significant financial losses.

The first and more severe incident occurred late Thursday around 1:30 am in the Kurmidih area near Bokaro railway station.

The fire engulfed about 10 establishments, including sweet shops, grocery stores, small hotels, and vegetable stalls. These shops, operating for decades, were the primary source of income for many local families. The cause of the fire remains unknown.

"We saw the flames and raised an alarm at midnight. It was a massive fire," said Santosh Kumar, a local resident.

The Bokaro fire station in-charge stated, "The fire spread rapidly, and despite most shops being gutted before our arrival, two fire tenders managed to control the blaze after four hours of effort."

The second incident occurred at a shoe shop in Sector 11, resulting in complete destruction of the establishment and an estimated loss of Rs 2.5 lakh in merchandise. Police have initiated investigations to determine the causes of both incidents.