M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, Sept 9: A massive fire broke out in the showroom of Sharda TVC motorcycle located in the number two town area of Daltonganj, Palamu last night.
An old woman named Sharda Devi, who was the mother of showroom owner Satish Sahu, died in this incident due to asphyxia due to noxious fumes and multiple burn injuries, while more than 300 motorcycles were gutted. A dozen bikes of the customers here for its servicing were also gutted. The arson was so severe that smoke kept coming out of the showroom till Friday morning. Prima facie it appears that the fire broke out due to a short circuit.
According to Palamu Civil Surgeon Dr John F Kennedy, who rushed to the burning showroom around midnight, said that the old lady inhaled lots of noxious fumes and in the bedlam caused by the abrupt huge fire in the showroom of the bikes sustained multiple burn injuries leading to her death.
“President of the Palamu chamber of commerce and industry Anand Shanker phoned me around midnight asking for an ambulance and medical team,” he added. The CS immediately put in word for an ambulance to reach the site while he rushed to the showroom which was in a terrible blaze then.
Sharda Devi was rushed to the MMCH Daltonganj by the government ambulance where the doctor declared her brought dead. Other family members are said to be safe.
One noted doctor Vikas Chandra Agrawal and a senior BJP leader Neelu Mishra also reached the spot at night. A police team was there cordoning the area for safety and rescue.
The TVS bike showroom and service centre is in the old income tax road locality. Sources said 4 fire tenders doused the fire after hours of labour and effort. The adjoining buildings remained safe but pandemonium and panic ruled all night.
