A fire broke out in Jharkhand's East Singhbhum district on Saturday, damaging more than 15 firecracker stalls, a dozen motorcycles, and a pickup van. The incident occurred near a busy weekly market in Kerukocha village, set up for the upcoming Tusu festival starting on Monday.
Fortunately, no casualties were reported, according to Ghatsila Sub-divisional Police Officer Kuldip Toppo. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
A fire tender was deployed to the scene, managing to extinguish the blaze after an hour. The fire originated in an illegally set up firecracker stall near the market, spreading to 14 other stalls. Thirteen motorcycles and a pickup van were also consumed by the flames, as stated by Shyamsunderpur police station officer-in-charge Dilip Kumar.
The stalls were reportedly set up without proper permission, and actions will be taken against the responsible traders, said Kumar.
Sameer Mohanty, the local JMM MLA, who visited the site, mentioned that the market, known as 'haat,' is set up annually before the Tusu festival, attracting a large crowd for shopping. He expressed regret over the unfortunate incident this year, estimating a loss of approximately Rs 10-15 lakh due to the fire.
