Puri: Amid an intensified firefighting exercise to extinguish the fire at Laxmi Market complex in Odisha’s Puri town, locals in the area alleged that their houses and business establishments located in the adjacent area have started getting hotter.
Earlier in the day, the administration had vacated people and their assets from the proximity.
With water being continuously sprayed into the Market complex by fire fighters and ODRAF team, thick black fumes are billowing out to pervade all over the area, reducing visibility. Local people of the nearby area said temperature of their houses and shops are up due to impact of the blazing market complex.
“We are feeling the heat if we get closer to the houses. If you touch the walls, all are hot. People are panicked about it. All are now in the open. Fumes billowing out of the market complex have created a suffocating atmosphere,” a resident rued.
Another resident, whose house is close to the market complex, said that his building is getting hotter and the fire fighters also spraying water on his house and nearby buildings to keep them cool. He was all praise for the firefighters for mounting an uphill task of dousing the blaze.
Meanwhile, the DG, Fire Services Santosh Upadhyay claimed that 90 per cent of the blaze was brought under control and it will be doused completely after some time.
