Market Complex blaze: Team from National Fire Service College reaches Puri

Puri: The Fire Brigade personnel are facing a tough task to douse the fire that broke out at a market complex in the Holy City here yesterday evening.

The Fire Brigade personnel are yet to contain the flames even after launching an operation in this regard around 20 hours ago, sources said.

Meanwhile, a team from Nagpur-based National Fire Service College reached the spot to assist the Odisha Fire Brigade, sources added.

“A team from the National Fire Service College has been stationing at Odisha Fire and Disaster Response Academy in Bhubaneswar for last few days for undergoing training. The team was sent to Puri to assist Odisha Fire Brigade personnel to contain the flames,” said an official.

Notably, the fire broke out at a garment shop on the first floor of Samrat Market Complex at Laxmi Bazar near Marichikot Square here at around 8.30 pm yesterday.

Soon the inferno spread to other shops and a bank located at the market complex, locals said.

The exact reason behind the mishap is yet to be ascertained, sources said.

As many as 160 Fire Brigade personnel, 12 fire engines and two teams of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) were pressed into service to douse the flames.

Earlier in the day, Minister of State for Home Tusharkanti Behera and Director General of Fire Service Santosh Kumar Upadhyay reached the spot and took stock of the situation.