Around 17 shops were gutted in a fire that broke out in the Jhumpura Market at Dasarathpur block in Jajpur district on Wednesday night.
The fire erupted from a sweetmeat shop and later spread into other shops when the market was closed. Fire fighters took more than three hours to douse the flames.
The reason of the fire incident is yet to be known. Most of the shop owners don’t have insurance, said an affected shop owner. “I am completely ruined as I had bought Rs 3 lakh loan to open a grocery shop last year,” said Narayan Chandra Sahoo, whose shop was gutted completely. Fire brigade officials suspect a short circuit has caused the fire.
“The Tehsildar, Dasarathpur BDO and other officials visited the market on Thursday to take stock of the situation. The district administration will provide helps to the affected people," said Collector Satya Kumar Mallick.