A devastating fire broke out early Wednesday morning in a four-storey apartment building on Badagada Canal Road in Bhubaneswar's Laxmisagar police limits, resulting in the deaths of three family members. The victims were identified as Biswajit Behera (70), his wife Sulabha Behera (65), and their 10-year-old granddaughter Tejeswari Behera.
According to police, Biswajit worked as the building's security guard and caretaker and lived with his family in a single basement room. The fire originated around 4 a.m. from an electrical panel near the basement and quickly spread to their quarters while the family was asleep.
Firefighters arrived at the scene, extinguished the flames, and managed to prevent the fire from reaching the upper floors. Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das visited the site and noted that the apartment lacked basic fire safety measures and did not have a registered housing society. The building comprises 12 flats across four floors.
The incident has raised concerns about fire safety in residential buildings in the city. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire and are expected to take necessary action against any lapses in safety protocols.
