VISHVENDU JAIPURIAR
Hazaribag, June 11: A mini truck (number-JH 10 BB 4911) loaded with straw was burnt to ashes on a rural road near Maa Sheetla Mandir located in Barsot village under the Barhi police station area. The truck was going to a villager’s house in Barsot village after loading the straw from Vardhaman in Bengal.
Sources said a short circuit occurred after the truck collided with a 440-volt overhead electric wire located on the side of a rural road. After that, the said truck along with the straw started burning. The flames were so strong that the asbestos roof of the house of one Ramchandra Saw also got engulfed. Saw sustained minor burn injuries. However, there was no loss of life in this incident.
In the incident, the driver and cleaner of the truck had a narrow escape. As soon as the information about the fire reached to the people of Barsot panchayat, Motilal Chaudhary and others reached there. Chaudhary immediately informed the Barhi DSP after which the fire brigade personnel reached there. On the other hand, the villagers tried their best to extinguish the fire by spraying water from a motor pump. They even stopped the traffic from both sides of the road.
Despite all efforts, it became difficult for the villagers to control the fire. Later, the fire brigade personnel who reached the spot brought the fire under control after a lot of effort. However, by then the truck was burnt to ashes. Chaudhary, who was present till the control of the fire, said that straw worth Rs 40 thousand got burnt in this fire.