Bihar: Fire breaks out at Biscomaun Bhawan in Patna
Patna, June 13
A fire broke out on the 13th floor of Biscomaun Bhawan near Gandhi Maidan in Patna in the early hours of Saturday, fire officials said.
The blaze was later brought under control, with no immediate reports of casualties.
Fire Officer Ritesh Pandey said the incident was reported around 3:45 am.
"Around 3:45 am, we received information that smoke was coming out from the 13th floor of Biscomaun Bhawan. We reached here within 5 minutes... We have completely brought the fire under control... It is suspected that the fire was caused by a short circuit," Pandey said.
Fire tenders were rushed to the spot, and firefighting operations continued for a short while before the flames were doused. Further details on the extent of damage are awaited.
Earlier in the morning, a fire broke out at a chemical factory due to a suspected short-circuit in the Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC) Dhaulana area of Hapur.
Officials said Fire tenders reached the spot. Efforts to douse the blaze remained underway. Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Sandeep Singh confirmed that local administrative and emergency teams rushed to Dehra village to control a suspected short-circuit fire at a chemical factory. Speaking to ANI, ADM Singh said, "We received information from the police control room that a fire had broken out at a chemical factory in Dehra village.
Acting immediately on this information, the SDM, the CEO, the Tehsildar, and the CSO, with their entire teams, rushed to the site and began efforts to tackle the fire. Eight fire tender teams arrived promptly, and operations to bring the fire under control are currently underway. Prima facie, it appears to be a case of a short circuit, but a detailed investigation will be conducted.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Short circuits are becoming a daily nightmare in India—look at both Bihar and Hapur incidents happening on the same day. Our infrastructure is crying for upgrades. SMH. Why can't we have regular maintenance and better wiring standards? 😠
Good thing it was early morning and the building was mostly empty—could have been a disaster like the Delhi factory fire. The rapid response team deserves credit. Now, let's hope the investigation is thorough and not just "prima facie short circuit" without any action.
🤦♀️ Why do we always wait for a tragedy to fix things? Biscomaun Bhawan is a landmark in Patna, and yet basic fire safety measures seem lacking. Also, Hapur factory fire shows how unprepared our industrial zones are. NOC from fire department should be strict, not a formality.
I'm from the US and read this with interest. Kudos to the Patna fire brigade for reaching within 5 minutes—that's world-class response time. But it's alarming that two major fires due to short circuits occurred on the same night. India needs to invest in modern electrical systems, especially in older buildings. Safety shouldn't be reactive.
Is it just me or does it seem like short circuits are the 'default answer' for every fire investigation in India? 🙄 Time to bring in independent forensic experts to check the real cause. Meanwhile, glad no one was hurt—Bihar's disaster management team did a solid job today.
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