Dhenkanal/Bargarh: Over a hundred houses were gutted and property worth lakhs reduced to ashes in two separate fire mishaps in Dhenkanal and Bargarh districts on Tuesday.
A major fire broke out this afternoon at Dhobaninanda village under Hindol block in Dhenkanal district in which property worth lakhs of rupees were damaged, while several cattle were also charred to death.
Four fire brigades were pressed into service to douse the fire. The exact cause of the blaze is yet to be ascertained while efforts are on by the district administration to provide the affected with cooked food and other elementary assistance.
In another incident, nearly 38 houses of 18 families were reduced to ashes in Beherapalli village under Ambabhona block in Bargarh district.
Though there were no immediate reports of any casualties, property worth lakhs of rupees got destroyed in the fire. Fire tenders from Ambabhona and Bargarh fire stations rushed to the spot to douse the flames.
According to sources, fire initially broke out from haystack paddy field and later spread to other areas in the village. The locals alleged that the incident occurred after a high tension electric wire snapped and fell on the haystack following a short circuit.