PATNA: At least six people died and more than a dozen others were injured in a massive fire that burned down three hotels located just 50 meters from Patna Junction on Thursday morning.
A fire fighter official said that they found one body in Hotel Pal and a mother and her daughter dead in Hotel Amrit next door.
The official also warned that more people might have died, as the situation is still developing.
The fire spread rapidly because of strong winds, burning down the hotels as well as several vehicles parked nearby, including cars, motorcycle, and auto-rickshaws.
Emergency responders, including firefighters and rescue teams, quickly arrived at the scene to help. They faced difficulties due to the crowded roads but managed to rescue several people who were trapped on the rooftops of the burning buildings.
Many of the rescued individuals were taken to Patna Medical College and Hospital for medical assistance.
After an initial investigation, the police said that a gas cylinder explosion was likely the reason for the fire.
People who saw the fire described chaos and panic. Despite the efforts of emergency responders, the fire caused extensive damage to the buildings and resulted in the loss of lives.
Earlier on Wednesday night, Janata Dal (United) leader Saurabh Kumar was allegedly shot dead in Patna, while he was returning from an event.
During the shooting, another person who was with Kumar was shot three times and sustained injuries. The victim was identified as Munmun.
The JD(U) leader was shot twice in the head by four men on bikes. Both the injured were rushed to the hospital where doctors declared Saurabh Kunar dead upon arrival.
The incident occurred later in the day after campaigning ended in the state for the five Lok Sabha seats before the second phase of polling on April 26. Around 50 candidates are competing in the state.
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