Massive fire guts Paradip vegetable market, 50 shops reduced to ashes

A massive fire broke out at a vegetable market in Badapadia area of Paradip  late on Saturday night, reducing nearly 50 shops to ashes and causing extensive property damage estimated to be worth crores of rupees.

The blaze reportedly erupted between 1 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. and spread rapidly from one shop to another, engulfing the entire market within a short span of time. Most shopkeepers were asleep when the fire broke out, leaving them little time to respond. By the time the flames were noticed and emergency services alerted, the market had already suffered significant destruction.

Fire-fighting teams rushed to the spot, but almost all shops had been gutted by the time the fire was brought under control.

Firefighting Efforts and Damage Assessment

Upon receiving information, fire services personnel from Kujang were the first to reach the scene. They were soon joined by more than eight fire tenders from Paradip Port, IFFCO, IOCL, AMNS and PPL industrial units. After sustained efforts, the teams managed to douse the flames and prevent the fire from spreading further.

However, vegetables stocked in the shops, cash boxes, account books, important documents and several motorbikes parked in the market were completely destroyed. Preliminary estimates suggest losses of around Rs 1.5 crore. Officials are currently assessing the extent of the damage and monitoring the situation.

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Niranjan Sahu, one of the affected shopkeepers, said that cash, documents and other valuables were reduced to ashes. He added that by the time residents realised what was happening and rushed to the spot, the entire market had already been engulfed in flames.

Cause Under Investigation, Vendors Raise Demand

The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation. Authorities suspect that it may have been triggered by an electrical short circuit or possibly by incense left burning inside one of the shops.

The Chairman of the Paradip  Municipality visited the site to review the situation and interact with affected vendors. Meanwhile, shopkeepers have demanded the creation of a separate and well-planned vending zone to prevent such incidents in the future and to ensure better safety measures.