A sudden fire broke out on Thursday due to leakage in the underground gas pipeline passing right in front of the temple located at Sahebganj Chowk in Chhapra. There was an atmosphere of chaos in the square due to the fire. The shopkeepers who had set up their footpath shops on the ground above the pipeline started throwing their goods on the other side of the road. Four shops on the footpath were engulfed in fire. Due to which the goods kept in these shops got burnt. While trying to extinguish the fire, a shopkeeper also got hit by it and got injured. Injured Sunil Kumar is undergoing treatment at Chapra Sadar Hospital. After receiving information about the incident, the fire brigade team reached the spot and brought the fire under control. People were becoming very angry after this incident, after which the police also reached the spot as soon as the information was received.
After this incident, there was a lot of anger among the local shopkeepers. The shopkeepers were adamant on the demand of calling the officials of the gas pipeline company. After which the company officials reached the spot and started digging at the place where leakage was occurring. Company official M Kumar said that someone tried to steal the cables installed around the chamber at night, due to which leakage started near the chamber. The situation will become clear after complete excavation.
At the same time, local street vendors say that they set up shop here every day. When he came in the morning, he did not see any digging or tampering with the underground cables at the said site. Local shopkeepers told that while opening their shops in the morning, they smelled gas leakage. The traffic policemen on duty said that two-three times a day, the smell of gas leaking was coming from near the said spot.
Shopkeepers Shyam Prasad Rajiv and Chandan also called the emergency number of the pipeline company written on the board but did not get any response from there. Shopkeepers said that if an officer had come and investigated at the time of the call, the fire would not have happened. People said that someone might have smoked a cigarette and thrown it near the said spot. Only after which it caught fire from its spark.
After receiving the information, a fire brigade vehicle first reached the spot. But despite his efforts the fire caused by gas leakage could not be controlled. The fire had spread through the ground to the adjacent temple complex. After this, five big and small fire engines had to be called from the district fire department. During this time, due to encroachment in the government market, there was a delay of 20 minutes in the vehicles arriving. However, the fire personnel showed their presence of mind and brought the fire under control within 35 minutes.
Gas pipeline official M Kumar said that someone tampered with the underground wire to steal the cable and in this sequence the gas pipeline was also damaged. Caught fire due to leakage at a distance of about 12 meters. Only after getting information about the incident, the supply was stopped and excavation was being done near the main chamber located at the Chowk. The situation will become clear after complete excavation.
In this matter, Chhapra Sadar SDM Sanjay Kumar Rai says that complete information has been sought. I also went to the spot and got information about the situation. IOCL has been instructed to carry out supply related work with full precaution. If there has been negligence in this matter then investigation will be done and action will be taken. At present the situation is under control.