A massive fire erupted in the underground market of the Unit-I Market Building area in Bhubaneswar on Thursday night, coinciding with Diwali, destroying dozens of garment stores. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported, but the blaze caused extensive damage, estimated in lakhs of rupees.
Firefighters arrived quickly and worked for several hours to extinguish the flames. Preliminary investigations suggest that firecrackers may have ignited the fire, though the exact cause remains undetermined. The fire reportedly started in a saree shop and rapidly spread.
Local residents noticed the flames and promptly alerted fire services, who responded swiftly. Initial reports indicate that at least 25-26 garment stores were completely destroyed, while several others suffered partial damage. Fortunately, the fire was contained by fire service personnel within a couple of hours, preventing further damage to additional shops.