As many as 30 thatched houses were gutted and 18 families were rendered homeless with properties worth of over Rs20 lakh lost on Friday night at village Kusailo under the Rajnagar police limits following an accidental fire. The fire spread from Banambar Patra’s house and engulfed other swellings. Fire tender personnel with the help of locals doused the blaze after a couple of hours
local Tehsildar Khirod Behera visited the village on Saturday to ascertain the property loss. He provided Rs2,700 to each family for purchasing utensils and clothes. A free kitchen has been opened for three days. Compensation to the victims would be provided as per the State Relief Code, informed the tehsildar.