At least 20 shops were gutted in a fire at a vegetable market in Unit-1 in Odisha's Bhubaneswar on Wednesday afternoon, October 22. The blaze first erupted in a grocery shop, spread quickly to nearby stores within minutes and destroyed goods worth lakhs on Diwali festivities.
After being informed, as many as 11 fire tenders rushed to the spot. Firefighters launched an operation to control the flames. However, officials confirmed that there were no casualties in the incident, but shopkeepers suffered significant financial losses.
According to reports, thick smoke and flames quickly engulfed the market, creating panic among local vendors and residents. The official suspected that the electrical short circuit may have caused the blaze; however, official confirmation has been awaited.
The Unit-1 market is Bhubaneswar's busiest commercial hub, drawing thousands of visitors daily. Authorities are working to find the exact reason for the fire.