Buxar (Bihar) [India], June 8 (ANI): A major fire broke out at a petrol pump storehouse (godown) in Bihar's Buxar district on Sunday night, destroying multiple vehicles and causing financial losses estimated to be worth lakhs of rupees. While no casualties or injuries were reported, official preliminary assessments revealed that the commercial establishment was operating in gross violation of mandatory safety protocols.

According to fire department officials, the distress call was received at approximately 7:40 PM, reporting a blaze originating just behind the main fueling station. Speaking to ANI, Fire Officer Satyadev Singh stated that the response was scaled up rapidly as the intensity of the fire became apparent.

'Initially, a small quick-response vehicle was dispatched to the scene. However, given the presence of highly inflammable materials, additional backup was immediately mobilised. A total of five fire tenders were deployed to battle the inferno,' Singh said. It took firefighting personnel over an hour of coordinated efforts to finally bring the flames under control.

The fire spread rapidly due to the presence of an extensive stock of industrial lubricants and an adjacent plywood godown. The combustion of these materials generated thick plumes of smoke that engulfed the area, complicating the firefighting operations.

While the main fuel dispensing units of the petrol pump were saved from catching fire, averting a catastrophic explosion in the residential vicinity, the adjoining storehouse bore the brunt of the accident. 'Four vehicles parked inside the premises were completely gutted by the fire, while a few other vehicles sustained partial damage,' the Fire Officer added.

Officials noted that the destruction of the luxury lubricants stock, the plywood inventory, and the vehicles has resulted in a heavy financial toll. A formal inquiry has been ordered into the incident to pinpoint the exact cause of the spark, which is suspected to be a short circuit, and to evaluate the precise monetary loss.

More crucially, the department has flagged severe compliance failures by the management of the fuel station. 'Preliminary inspection indicates that the petrol pump premises did not meet the prescribed fire safety standards and lacked adequate mitigation equipment,' Singh noted. (ANI)