Bhubaneswar, February 24 The massive fire at a market complex in the Lingipur area here was brought under control after 19 hours of operation, officials said on Tuesday.
There were no reports of any injuries or fatalities due to the fire, which broke out around 10 pm on Monday night and spread to the entire four-story building. This was because a large stock of flammable materials, including plywood, rubber, and plastic, was stored in the mall, they said.
Two employees who were trapped in the fire were immediately rescued from the complex, officials said.
A total of 60 fire tenders were deployed to contain the blaze, which continued for 19 hours until 6 pm, a fire service officer said.
"Our team has extinguished the flames on three floors of the four-story market complex. It was difficult for firefighters to carry out the operation because there was only one entrance to the building, and there was no window or other space to enter the mall," said Sudhanshu Sarangi, Director General of Fire and Emergency Services.
Fire service officers broke down a portion of the side wall of the building to spray water inside, he said.
"Although the fire was brought under control, our officers will remain there to monitor for any further outbreak," the fire service DG said.
The fire was so extensive that the building was also damaged in the incident.
Sarangi said that only civil engineers can assess whether the building is safe after inspection.
While the first two floors of the building were used for retail purposes, different items, including large quantities of plastic, rubber, and other materials, were stored on the other two floors used as warehouses, said the shop owner.
The mall owner also claimed that properties worth Rs 4 crore were destroyed in the fire incident.
The fire is suspected to have been caused by a short circuit, officials said.