A massive fire broke out in a three‑storey building near Ganga Mandir under Lalbag police limits in Cuttack on Friday morning, destroying goods worth lakhs stored on the ground floor.
The blaze started around 8 AM when smoke was noticed coming from the storeroom. The building’s upper two floors housed residents, while the ground floor was used as a storeroom by a Bhubaneswar‑based tenant who had stocked materials for a new shop.
Fire services from Buxi Bazaar rushed to the spot and began operations. As the flames intensified due to wooden planks and plywood stored inside, additional fire tenders from Bidanasi joined the effort. Firefighters safely evacuated residents from the upper floors before continuing the operation.
The fire raged for nearly two hours before being brought under control. All materials stored on the ground floor were reduced to ashes, though no casualties occurred.
Officials suspect a short circuit triggered the blaze. Fire Officer Prashant Dhal confirmed that investigations are underway to determine the exact cause.
