BHUBANESWAR: More than 20 makeshift shops near Unit-I market here were reduced to ashes in a fire which broke out late on Tuesday night. The incident occurred at 2.15 am and the fire, which is said to have originated from a bicycle repair shop, engulfed the area which houses a number of thatched and tin-walled shops.
By around 2.35 am when the fire fighting teams reached the spot, most of the temporary structures were in flames. It took three fire fighting units more than an hour to bring the situation under control.
Kalpana fire station in-charge TK Babu said timely action by the fire services personnel prevented the flames from reaching the premises of Unit-I market and the petrol pump in the vicinity. “The temporary structures and the main market were separated by a high-rise permanent wall which acted as a barrier to prevent the fire from spreading,” he added.While the cause behind the incident is being investigated, sources said loosely connected wires and illegal electricity connections may have led to a short circuit sparking the fire.