A massive fire broke out in Garapada village under Puri’s Nimapada block, destroying straw stacks spread over nearly seven acres of farmland. The blaze, which erupted late Thursday, was reportedly triggered after an 11 kV electricity line snapped, engulfing the straw heaps. Local resident Akrur Jena suffered heavy losses as his year-long produce was gutted before fire personnel from Pipili could bring the flames under control. No casualties were reported, and authorities are assessing the full extent of the damage while investigating the cause.
This incident follows a similar fire in Sonepur district on Wednesday night, where an ethanol factory was engulfed in flames, destroying machinery, storage units, and infrastructure. The back-to-back incidents have raised renewed concerns over electrical safety and fire preparedness across the state.
