At least 14 people were charred to death and several others injured, after a major fire broke out in a multi-storey building in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district on Tuesday, a senior official said.
The blaze erupted at 6 pm at Ashirwad Tower in Dhanbad's Joraphatak area, around 160 km from state capital Ranchi.
"Several people were charred to death in the incident of fire. Several others are injured. Rescue operation is underway," Dhanbad Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Singh told PTI.
Singh, who is monitoring the operation on the spot along with senior police officers, said the exact number of people who died and suffered injuries is yet to be ascertained.
"14 people dead and 12 others are injured in the fire that broke out in an apartment in Dhanbad. Several people were in the apartment to attend a marriage function. Cause of the fire is still not known. We are focusing on rescue. Injured shifted to hospital," said SSP Dhanbad Sanjiv Kumar.
Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren expresses condolences over the death of people due to fire in Dhanbad's Ashirwad Tower Apartment
"The district administration is working on a war footing and treatment is being provided to those injured in the accident," tweets Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren
"An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased in the fire in Dhanbad. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000" tweeted PMO quoting PM Modi.
