PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Dec 29: Panic gripped the Jugsalai area late on Sunday night after a massive fire broke out at a tyre warehouse near the Jugsalai railway crossing, just hours before the scheduled arrival of the President of India in the city.
The incident occurred at a time when the district administration and security agencies were on high alert, as the President’s convoy was set to pass through that route for Karandih Jaherthan.
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According to officials, the administration had been carrying out extensive cleanliness drives, encroachment removal and continuous security monitoring along the President’s route for the past several days.
As part of this exercise, tyre shops operating on the footpath near Jugsalai railway crossing were recently removed.
The shopkeepers reportedly shifted their stock behind the railway boundary wall.
Late on Sunday night, a sudden fire erupted in the stored materials of one such second-hand tyre shop.
The blaze spread rapidly, engulfing nearby tyres and goods, sending towering flames and thick smoke across the area.
Upon receiving the information, teams from the police and fire departments rushed to the spot.
A fire tender was pressed into service, while local residents also joined the efforts to douse the flames using buckets and water pipes.
Firefighters had to struggle for a considerable time before bringing the blaze under control.
Due to the incident, traffic movement near the railway gate and the main road was briefly disrupted.
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Local residents alleged that illegal tyre shops have long been operating around the railway gate, often flouting basic safety norms.
They claimed that similar fire incidents have occurred in the past, but the lack of strict action has allowed encroachments to resurface repeatedly.
The fire, occurring just hours before the President’s convoy movement, has raised serious questions about safety preparedness in the area.
The administration has initiated an investigation into the incident.
