A massive fire broke out at the well-known cosmetic showroom Banaja Bengalis in Balasore city late last night, destroying property worth more than Rs 1.5 crore.
The incident occurred around 3:30 am at the four-storey Banaja Cosmetics Store located between Cinema Chhak and Babylon Chhak under the Town police station limits. Thick smoke was seen billowing out of the building, prompting locals to alert the fire department immediately.
Firefighters rushed to the spot, but the blaze quickly spread from one floor to another, accompanied by loud explosions. A total of 10 fire tenders from Balasore, Remuna, and nearby areas were deployed, battling the flames for nearly six hours before finally bringing the situation under control.
Officials said the store contained highly flammable materials like sanitizers, deodorant sprays, nail polish, and nail removers, which fueled the fire further. As the flames spread rapidly, the upper warehouse section also caught fire. The shop had stocked a large quantity of cosmetics, household goods, decorative items, and gift products, most of which were completely destroyed.
Sources said the fire intensified due to the absence of proper fire safety arrangements in the building, despite its location in one of the city’s busiest commercial areas. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined, though an electrical short circuit is suspected to have triggered the incident.
