BHUBANESWAR: A major fire broke out at Unit-I Market in the state capital late on Monday night, gutting around 50 shops and vending kiosks and causing extensive property damage. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Following the incident, the entire market was shut down for a day for fire safety inspection.
Sources said the blaze first erupted at a shop near the Capital police station at around 1.15 am. The flames quickly spread to a nearby parked two-wheeler and then engulfed adjoining shops and kiosks in the vending zone and footpath. Plastic items stored in several kiosks fuelled the fire, while LPG cylinders kept inside some shops worsened the situation.
As many as 12 fire tenders were deployed along with robotic monitors and a striking force to douse the flames. Around 70 fire services personnel took part in the operation, officials said.
They said the fire was brought under control after more than two hours of continuous efforts. The parking area behind the affected shops helped prevent the blaze from spreading further.
“I was sleeping when I suddenly saw my jacket catch fire. I immediately ran out and alerted other vendors. We then sought help from police and fire tenders. My shop has been completely gutted in the mishap” said one of the affected traders.
Another trader said goods worth around Rs 15 lakh stored in his shop were reduced to ashes, and appealed for government assistance. Around 10 fruit vendors also sustained damage worth over lakhs. Sources said property worth over Rs 1 crore was destroyed in the fire. However, no casualty has been reported in the incident.
Mayor Sulochana Das and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner Chanchal Rana visited the spot on Tuesday morning to assess the situation. Rana said emergency teams of the corporation, along with two teams from Bhubaneswar tehsil office, have been directed to conduct a damage assessment. Assistance will be provided to affected shopkeepers based on the assessment, he said.
Both the mayor and the commissioner blamed plastic materials as a major factor behind the large-scale fire. “Despite repeated warnings and eviction drives, some vendors continue to use plastic sheets in their shops, increasing the risk of such incidents. We have now decided to probe the incident and register FIRs against those violating the orders,” Rana said.
This is the second such incident in the Unit-I Market in the past four months. In October last year, a massive fire at the market destroyed at least 30 shops, including a hotel and grocery stores.