A devastating fire broke out at a snacks and mixture shop in Bhubaneswar’s Saheed Nagar area in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The fire quickly spread to nearby establishments, including an ayurvedic shop and a juice stall, causing significant damage.
The incident occurred around 5 to 5:30 AM when a thick blanket of smoke engulfed the area, followed by raging flames. Eyewitnesses reported that raw materials, including oil present in the shop, likely fueled the intensity of the fire.
Local residents began evacuating their homes as a precautionary measure to avoid the fire spreading further. The fire department faced criticism from locals for an alleged 45-minute delay in responding to the emergency call, which reportedly allowed the flames to intensify and spread to nearby structures.
Firefighters have been tirelessly working for over two hours to control the blaze. While some portions of the fire have been doused, a large section remains burning. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined, and no official comments from the fire department have been made available as of the latest reports.
Local authorities are investigating the incident to ascertain the cause and prevent such occurrences in the future. No casualties have been reported thus far.
