Bhubaneswar: In the wake of a massive blaze at the Unit-1 Market complex early Tuesday morning, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has directed the market to remain closed for the day to allow for cleaning, debris clearance, and inspection of fire safety measures.
“All vendors of Unit-I Market are requested to cooperate with BMC authorities for the smooth conduct of these activities,” the office order said.
The fire broke out around 1.30-2am in the front area outside the vending kiosks of the city’s biggest retail and wholesale hub, destroying more than 40 shops and causing losses estimated in crores of rupees. The blaze is suspected to have originated at an idol shop close to the Capital police station, rapidly spread to a parked two-wheeler nearby, and then engulfed adjacent shops. Plastic goods stored in many kiosks intensified the flames, while LPG cylinders inside some shops worsened the situation.
As many as 12 fire tenders, along with robotic monitors and a specialised striking force, were deployed to extinguish the blaze. Around 70 firefighters and 10 officers took part in the operation and brought the fire under control after almost three hours of relentless efforts. The parking area behind the affected shops acted as a barrier, preventing the blaze from spreading further, according to officials.
City Mayor Sulochana Das, visited the spot this morning along with BMC Commissioner Chanchal Rana to assess the situation, also blamed the rapid spread of the fire through the congested market lanes on highly inflammable plastic and polythene materials stored in the shops.
Rana stated that emergency teams from the corporation, together with two teams from the tehsildar’s office, have been instructed to carry out a damage assessment. “Despite repeated warnings and eviction drives, some vendors keep using plastic sheets in their shops, increasing the risk of such incidents. We have decided to investigate the matter and file FIRs against those who continue to violate the orders,” he added.
This is the second major incident at the Unit-I market in the past four months. Last October, a devastating fire ripped through the market, destroying at least 30 shops, including a hotel and several grocery stores.
