A fire broke out at Gunchitara village under the Titlagarh police station’s jurisdiction on Wednesday morning, leaving a woman critically injured and damaging a local shop along with portions of an adjacent residential building.
The incident occurred when the shop owner, identified as Chudamani Dora, opened his establishment in the morning and lit incense sticks (agarbatti) to perform his daily morning prayers. Sparks from the burning incense sticks unexpectedly came into contact with petrol stored nearby inside the premises, triggering a sudden and massive inferno.
The flames quickly spread across the premises, engulfing the shop and consuming a part of the adjoining house. During the incident, Chudamani’s wife sustained severe burn injuries.
Family members rushed her to the Titlagarh Sub-Divisional Hospital for emergency treatment. As her condition deteriorated, medical professionals referred her to the Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital in Balangir for advanced treatment.
Upon receiving information, personnel from the Titlagarh Fire Station rushed to the spot and managed to bring the fire under control. While the blaze was successfully extinguished, officials are yet to make an exact assessment of the total property loss caused by the incident.
