Warehouse gutted in Patna, edible oil stock destroyed

Patna: A massive fire gutted a warehouse storing large stocks of edible oil on Mahuli Road in Patna City early Monday. The incident occurred in the Karamlichak area under Didarganj police station area.

It took around 16 hours and the deployment of 27 fire tenders to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to nearby units.The fire spread rapidly, with flames rising nearly 20 feet high and engulfing the entire structure within a short time. The warehouse stored large quantities of refined and mustard oil, all of which were destroyed.The fire was first noticed around 12.50 am by a security guard, Ajit Kumar, who spotted smoke and raised the alarm. While an initial attempt to contact the emergency helpline (112) failed, the fire control room was informed through 101.Fire brigade teams rushed to the spot and launched an extensive operation. District fire officer Ritesh Pandey said the department received information around 1 am, following which 27 fire tenders — 24 from Patna and three from Vaishali — were deployed. Firefighters used a JCB machine to break through a warehouse wall to access the source of the blaze.Fire officer Ajit Kumar said teams from Patna and nearby stations worked continuously for nearly 16 hours to bring the fire under control and prevent it from spreading to neighbouring warehouses.

The presence of a battery warehouse adjacent to the site made the operation more challenging.“The team contained the fire, ensuring nearby godowns and warehouses were not affected. The operation continued till Monday evening. Due to the presence of flammable materials like refined oil, the fire spread rapidly. No casualties were reported as the warehouse was empty,” Pandey said.While the exact cause is yet to be confirmed, officials suspect a short circuit based on preliminary findings. Police and fire department teams are investigating the incident.Officials said the prompt response helped prevent the fire from spreading to nearby warehouses and residential areas, averting a major disaster. The exact amount of loss has yet to be estimated, they added.