High-tension horror: Snapped 11 kV power line sets five acres of paddy on fire in Balasore

At least five acres of harvested paddy were destroyed in a fire after an 11 kV overhead power line snapped at Talapada village under Remuna block in Balasore district. The incident occurred late on Friday night when paddy harvested earlier in the day had been kept stacked in agricultural fields for drying and storage.

According to sources, the snapped high-tension electric wire fell directly onto the harvested crop, triggering a blaze that spread rapidly across the field. Large portions of the stacked paddy had already been reduced to ashes by the time villagers noticed the fire.

Five Farmers Suffer Heavy Losses

As per reports, five farmers identified as Pitambar Barik, Sushant Dash, Shambhunath Barik, Jadunath Mallik, and another cultivator from the same village suffered extensive losses in the incident. The affected farmers said the destroyed paddy represented nearly a year’s worth of hard work and investment.

The fire completely gutted the harvested produce spread over approximately five acres. Farmers stated that the crop had been cut and kept in the field only hours before the incident, as is common practice during the harvest season.

Villagers alleged that poor maintenance of overhead power lines in the area has repeatedly posed risks, especially during dry months when harvested crops remain vulnerable to fire hazards.

Fire Services Control Blaze

After spotting the fire early this morning, villagers alerted the Bahanga fire services unit. Firefighters rushed to the spot and managed to bring the blaze under control, preventing it from spreading to nearby fields and residential areas.

Fire personnel confirmed that the fire had already consumed the stacked paddy by the time they arrived, but further damage was contained through prompt action.

No injuries were reported in the incident, but the affected farmers have demanded compensation for the losses caused by the snapped power line.

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As of the last reports, fire services personnel confirmed that the fire was extinguished after their intervention. No official estimate of the loss has been released so far, and no statement has yet been issued by the power distribution authorities regarding the snapped 11 kV line.