Despite appeals from various quarters including Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to observe a low key Diwali in view of Phailin and floods, people of the city on Sunday burst firecrackers worth Rs 15 crore while around 100 people sustained burn injuries.
Around 100 denizens in and around Bhubaneswar sustained burn injuries and admitted to various hospitals including Capital Hospital with 60 patients, sources said.
According to Bhubaneswar Assistant Fire Station Officer Babaji Charan lenka, around 18 property burn cases were reported between Sunday 2.30 pm and 1 am including one variety store and two cloth stores in Saheed Nagar haat where property worth Rs 7 lakh was gutted.
Fire mishaps were also reported from Jayadev Vihar, Mancheswar, IRC Village, Master Canteen, Jharpada, Satyanagar, near Capital police station, Badagada High School, Kalinganagar, Ghatikia, AG Square, Kharvela Nagar, Baramunda, Patrapada and Tamando. “At all the places, we managed to douse the flame,” said lenka, adding that five special fire brigade teams were deployed for the purpose.
However, no casualty was reported due to cracker bursting. As per the reports, shops of Satyabratta Baral, Sudarshan Mohanty and Hemant Sahoo in Saheed Nagar haat caught fire as firecrackers fell on them.