BHADRAK: More than 20 thatched houses were reduced to ashes in a fire that broke out at Chhatrapada village in Narendrapur panchayat under Tihidi police limits here late on Sunday night. Around 20 cattle and over 100 goats were reportedly burnt alive in the mishap.
According to villagers, the fire spread rapidly through the closely-built thatched houses, giving residents little time to save their belongings. At least seven families were rendered homeless by the blaze.
They said acute water scarcity hampered efforts to control the fire in its initial stages. Fire services personnel were alerted promptly. But by the time the fire tenders reached the spot, most houses had already been reduced to ashes.
On Monday, Tihidi tehsildar J Acharya and Bhadrak MP Avimanyu Sethi visited the village and met the affected families.
Police said though the exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, a short circuit is suspected to have led to the mishap.