Jharsuguda: A major fire broke out early Wednesday morning at a commercial building in Sarbahal area on the outskirts of Jharsuguda town in Odisha, gutting a shopping mall housing a clothing showroom and an adjacent jewellers outlet.
According to sources, local residents and morning walkers noticed thick smoke and flames billowing from the multi-storey structure between 6-6.30 am, prompting immediate alerts to police and fire services.
Multiple fire tenders, including five dispatched from the site and additional units from the nearby Vedanta industrial facility, rushed to the spot and have been battling the blaze for several hours. Firefighting operations have faced significant hurdles due to dense smoke filling the three-storey building and the rapid spread of flames fuelled by combustible materials such as synthetic garments, packaging, and interior fixtures.
The fire is believed to have originated in the ground floor or basement garment section before quickly engulfing other parts of the structure, including the neighbouring jewellery store.
Authorities suspect an electrical short circuit as the likely trigger, though the exact cause is yet to be officially confirmed. No casualties or injuries have been reported so far. Property damage is estimated in lakhs of rupees. Further details on the full extent of the damage are awaited.