Title - Goods train, scrap shop catch fire

RANCHI: Fire broke out at two places, just 3 km apart, in the city almost around the time on Sunday and kept fire tenders busy for well over two hours.The engine of a goods train was gutted in a fire reportedly caused by short circuit at Ranchi railway station around 4:30pm, delaying the Ranchi-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, which was scheduled to depart from the same platform at 5:10 pm got delayed by over two-and-a-half hours. No casualty was reported. The goods train was leaving for Bhilai in Madhya Pradesh when its engine caught fire due to short circuit on platform number one.The fire tender was late to reach the spot. This, coupled with absence of an emergency gate at the railway station for which fire tenders could not reach the spot in time, caused maximum damage to the engine. Sources said the fire occurred in the battery box and before the driver could understand anything, it engulfed the engine. The second engine of the coal carrying train was, however, said to be safe. Ranchi DRM G Malaya said fire has been controlled.

"An inquiry has been initiated into the mishap," said Ranchi DRM G Malaya.

Meanwhile, a major fire broke out in an illegal scrap shop on Court Road under Kotwali police station.

Though no casualty was reported, the fire was so huge that smoke from it covered a large part of the locality. In fact, the district police had to seek support of Airports Authority of India's fire tenders to douse the flames.

The fire reportedly broke out around 4.30 pm and continued to be out of control well beyond 6:30pm.

Fire tenders from different fire stations were over an hour late in reaching the spot. A similar fire had broken out at the same site on December 26 but the district administration could not take any action to remove the scrap shop, spread over 2,000 sq km, from the busy market place.

The cause of the fire is not yet known. The fire was so huge that it damaged some furniture in the houses in its neighbourhood. A two-storeyed house near the scrap shop lost some furniture. "The fire burnt furniture which was lying on my rooftop," A tree hanging over the building was burnt in the incident and its branches fell down on the rooftop,"said Manish Kumar, a family member of the building.

Life was choked in almost all houses situated around the fire site.

A busy shopping complex, half a dozen girls' hostels and a four-storeyed apartment cum commercial centre are situated on both sides of the site.

Residents of the apartments near the shop had to take refuge in the terrace to hide from the smoke and heat. Plastic sewerage pipes were burnt. It has made the toilets useless for the residents.

Lalpur police station officer in charge Surya Bhushan Sharma said fire tenders from three fire stations were pressed into action to douse the fire. The situation, however, could not be controlled despite all the tenders spurting water on the fire.

Locals said the scrap shop had a huge collection of plastics and papers which aggravated the fire.

Ranchi SP (city) Manoj Ratan, who arrived with forces at the spot, said the fire dousing machinery was pressed into action. "We have also requested AAI for help," said the SP.