Bokaro Illegal Fuel Storage Fire: Blaze Erupts Near Hospital, Probe Ordered

Bokaro: A massive fire broke out late Wednesday at an illegal fuel storage unit along National Highway-23 under Sector-12 police station limits, barely a few hundred metres from a premier hospital. No injuries, however, were reported.The blaze erupted in a facility stocked with hundreds of litres of highly flammable fuel stored in drums, quickly escalating into a towering inferno that lit up the sky and triggered panic in the locality. A vehicle parked inside the godown was gutted, while the owner remains untraceable.Eyewitnesses said the situation could have turned disastrous had the fire spread towards nearby residential pockets or passing vehicles on the highway.Fire tenders and police teams rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control after several hours. “Fire was brought under control after several hours of continuous effort. The godown was found storing diesel and petrol illegally,” said Bhagwan Ojha, officer in-charge of the fire department.DC Ajay Nath Jha told TOI, “We have ordered a probe in this matter. SDO Chas will conduct an inquiry and submit a report following which action will be taken.”Residents alleged the site had been used for illegal fuel storage for months. Officials said the same godown had witnessed a similar fire in Feb 2026, raising concerns over repeated violations and enforcement failure.