In Bhubaneswar, a significant fire incident at a supermarket in the Lingipur area has been ongoing for over 18 hours. The fire, which began late Monday evening, rapidly spread across multiple floors of the four-storeyed building, filled with highly flammable items like plastic and rubber goods. Fire service personnel, facing challenges due to the lack of staircases and limited entry points, have been using water and foam to combat the intense blaze.
Over 45 personnel, 12 fire tenders, and advanced firefighting equipment, including robot firefighters, have been deployed to tackle the fire. Despite efforts to contain it, concerns have arisen as the building structure shows signs of cracking under the extreme heat. Evacuations have been carried out for safety, with fears that the fire may take a while longer to be fully controlled.
Central Range Fire Officer Trilokya Kumar Babu mentioned that while the fire on the lower floors has been managed using foam, attempts to control it on the fourth floor were halted due to roof damage. The owner estimated losses of Rs 4 to 5 crores in goods due to the inferno. Efforts are now focused on external firefighting through openings in the building walls to prevent further risks.
