Closed Shutters Impede Firefighting At Market Complex In Odisha’s Puri

Puri: While the fire at Laxmi Market complex in Odisha’s Puri town is yet to be contained despite an intensified firefighting, Puri SP Vishal Singh Kanwar visited the spot and took stock of the situation on Thursday morning.

Briefing mediapersons, Singh said that over 100 personnel of ODRAF team have been pressed into service and adequate fire tenders have been stationed.

“I spoke the DG of the fire service about it. Senior fire service personnel are monitoring the exercise. They are putting in their best efforts. They have sufficient manpower, logistics and equipment to deal with the blaze. There are some technical issues. It is said that closed shutters have become an obstacle. One shutter inside the market complex has been broken open while work is on to open three others,” he added.

He further informed that neighbouring buildings have been vacated and traffic diversion has been made to ensure smooth movement of fire tenders.

“Sufficient barricading has been done around the place. There is no need to panic,” he added.

Fire service personnel said they will be able to contain the fire in two to three hours. “The situation is under control and operation to douse the fire is underway. 12 fire tenders and 160 fire personnel are deployed. The firefighters have not been able to open three shutters. The flames could have been extinguished within an hour had the shutters not been closed. Since these shops housed combustible substances like terry cotton and plastic, the fire spread quickly. There is no immediate threat to the neighbouring building since we have evacuated tourists from there,” Chief Fire Officer Ramesh Majhi said.

The district administration has made facilities available to the rescued tourists, among whom 106 are reportedly from Nashik in Maharashtra.

The blaze was first spotted at a garments shop on the first floor of Laxmi Market Complex in Marichikot Chhak on Grand Road around 8.30 pm. Some of the 40 shops at the shopping complex were gutted.

Police said they were suspecting an electrical short-circuit may have started the fire.