World
India
A huge fire broke out near Zero Point in Paradip, Jagatsinghpur district, on Monday, engulfing a private company’s stockyard. The blaze rapidly consumed a large quantity of plastic-coated iron pipes, causing an intense fire that spread quickly to nearby areas.
Fire services teams rushed to the spot and are working hard to douse the flames. Reports suggest the pipes stored at the stockyard were meant for underground transport of liquid petroleum products. However, the exact cause of the fire remains unknown, and an investigation is currently underway.
WATCH:
The fire reportedly started around an hour ago and soon spread to surrounding areas. As of the latest update, efforts to bring the situation under full control were ongoing.
Paradip Sub-Collector confirmed that more than 10 firefighting vehicles were deployed to battle the flames. “The situation is under control now. The District Collector, Superintendent of Police (SP), and the Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) of the local police station are closely supervising the firefighting operation,” the Sub-Collector stated.
He assured that the fire would be “completely doused within an hour at most.” Officials emphasized that after the fire is fully extinguished, a detailed probe will be launched to find out what triggered the incident.
No official comments have been released by the private company that owns the stockyard.
Interestingly, this is not the first major fire Odisha has witnessed this month. Earlier, on April 1, a serious fire broke out at a suitcase showroom and garments godown in the bustling Dolamundai locality of Cuttack City. Thick black smoke filled the area, sparking panic among locals and passersby.
Eyewitnesses reported that the fire erupted immediately after the showroom opened around 11:00 AM. Initial investigations suggested a short circuit possibly caused by faulty electric wiring when a staff member switched on the air conditioner.
Similarly, a massive fire recently gutted raw materials worth around Rs 1 crore at an organic goods factory in Ganjam district. That incident also raised serious concerns about fire safety practices in industrial and commercial areas across Odisha.
ALSO READ: 26/11 Attacks Accused Tahawwur Rana Sent to 12-Day NIA Custody After Court’s Decision
