Ranchi, March 19: One person sustained burns while around 20 shops were gutted when a 11kV wire snapped in a market in Pathargama area of Godda district, 450km from the state capital, in the small hours of Sunday.
Two fire tenders battled the blaze for two hours to bring it under control.
"The fire started from a spark and engulfed 20 small shops within no time. Most of these were vegetable and fruit stalls made of bamboo and wood," a local resident said.
Pathargama thana OC Sanjay Janak Murty said one Sukhdeo Bhagat, who runs a fruit shop, sustained burns. "He has been admitted to a government hospital in Mayaganj in Bihar's Bhagalpur district. His condition is stable," the officer said.
Murty said timely arrival of the fire tenders prevented the blaze from spreading in the market where there were 50 more shops.
An FIR has been registered under Sections 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act of endangering life or personal safety of others) of the IPC against Jharkhand Urja Vikas Nigam (JUVNL).
On the losses incurred, OC Murty said, "We have not been able to assess the exact damage officially, but shop owners claim a blow of approximately Rs 1 lakh."