Three family members, an elderly couple, and their young granddaughter tragically lost their lives in a fire that broke out early Wednesday at Basant Villa apartments in Bhubaneswar’s Laxmisagar area. The fire, suspected to have started between 4 to 4.30 A.M., caused panic among residents as smoke quickly engulfed the building.
Deputy Fire Officer Narayan Dash mentioned that the fire department received an emergency call around 5 A.M. regarding the incident. Firefighters promptly arrived at the scene with advanced equipment and successfully contained the fire, preventing further damage. The initial investigation points to an electrical short circuit near the staircase on the stilt as the likely cause of the fire.
Reports suggest that the fire may have originated from an Electric Vehicle (EV) charging point, although an official confirmation is pending. The elderly couple, Biswanath Behera (62) and Sulabha Behera (60), along with their 11-year-old granddaughter, sustained severe burn injuries and suffocation. Despite efforts to save them, the couple succumbed to their injuries at Capital Hospital, while the young girl passed away at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
The blaze resulted in significant damage to the building, impacting various interior sections such as the ceiling and the lift area, which suffered severe destruction.
