Balangir: A fire engulfed a private commercial complex at Gandhinagar within the Town police station limits in Balangir district in the early hours of Friday, destroying eight shops, including an electric vehicle (EV) showroom, and causing losses estimated to be worth several lakhs of rupees. No casualties were reported.Firefighters battled the flames for more than four hours to bring the situation under control.According to fire service officials, preliminary findings indicate that the fire, which broke out at the complex along NH-26 before dawn, may have been triggered by an electrical short circuit, though the exact cause would be determined only after a detailed forensic examination.The blaze spread rapidly, and three shops, including the EV showroom, were reduced to ashes, while the remaining suffered extensive damage.After receiving an emergency call, the Fire Service department rushed two fire tenders to the spot. As the blaze intensified, additional firefighting teams were deployed. Abhaya Kumar Behera, assistant fire officer at Balangir station, said the presence of highly combustible materials, including plastic goods, accelerated the spread of the fire. An adjacent motorcycle service centre, where several old two-wheelers were parked, further complicated the firefighting operation by increasing the fuel load.Hashmukh Soni, who had a furniture showroom in the market, said the owner of the complex informed him that huge plumes of smoke were billowing out of his shop. “I rushed to the spot, only to find that everything inside was destroyed in the fire,” said Soni,.
