Jharsuguda: A significant fire incident occurred early Wednesday morning at a commercial building located in the Sarbahal area on the outskirts of Jharsuguda town in Odisha, severely damaging a shopping mall that housed a clothing showroom as well as an adjacent jewelry store.

Local residents and early morning walkers spotted thick smoke and flames emerging from the multi-storey building between 6:00 and 6:30 am, which led to immediate notifications to police and fire services.

Firefighters responded swiftly with multiple fire engines, including five that were dispatched from the scene and additional units from the nearby Vedanta industrial facility. They have been working tirelessly to control the fire for several hours. The firefighting efforts have faced significant challenges due to dense smoke permeating the three-storey structure and the flames spreading rapidly, fueled by flammable materials like synthetic clothing, packaging, and interior fixtures.

It is believed that the fire started in the garment section located on the ground floor or basement and quickly spread to other areas of the building, including the neighboring jewelry shop.

Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire, with an electrical short circuit being the primary suspicion; however, the exact cause has not yet been officially confirmed. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries have been reported at this time. Property damage is estimated to be in the lakhs of rupees, and further information regarding the extent of the damage is awaited.