A tragic fire in a four-story apartment complex in Bhubaneswar claimed the lives of an elderly couple, while a young couple and their child were rescued. The incident occurred early Wednesday morning on Badagada Canal Road under Laxmisagar police station limits.
Victims and Rescue Efforts
The deceased were identified as Biswajit Behera, 70, who worked as a security guard in the building, and his wife Sulabha Behera, 65. They lived in a small ground-floor room in the parking area for the past decade. A young couple, identified as the parents of a two-year-old, and their child were rescued but suffered injuries. The grandparents died due to burns and suffocation.
The fire broke out around 4 am due to a short circuit in the electrical panel located next to the couple's room. The flames spread rapidly, trapping the family inside. One resident alerted firefighters at 4:41 am. Deputy Fire Officer Narayan Dash stated, "Our crew managed to douse the flame within 15 minutes, preventing the fire from spreading to the upper floors. The panel board and the couple's room were completely gutted, but the rest of the building remained intact."
Escape Attempts and Safety Lapses
The family attempted to flee via the staircase to upper floors but collapsed due to heavy smoke. Dash added, "Out of panic, they could not open the grille gate to exit the building. Had they managed to come outside, they might have survived." The building lacked basic fire safety measures such as extinguishers and sprinklers.
Mayor Sulochana Das, who inspected the site, expressed concern over the absence of safety provisions and the lack of a registered housing society. The complex houses 12 flats across four floors. "We were shocked to see no fire safety arrangements. Not a single resident came forward to speak with us. There is no society or welfare association here," Das said.
Bhubaneswar-Central MLA Ananta Narayan Jena also visited the site, blaming residents for negligence and poor electrical upkeep.
Power Disconnected as Precaution
As a precaution, Tata Power Central Odisha Distribution Limited (TPCODL) has disconnected the building's power supply, directing the apartment authorities to obtain an electrical safety clearance before power is restored.
The incident rekindled memories of the recent fire in east Delhi's Vivek Vihar that killed nine members of two families. The fire is suspected to have spread following a blast in an AC unit.
