Bhubaneswar: Panic gripped vendors and customers at the Unit-1 Market in Bhubaneswar after a fire broke out at a leaf-plate shop on Saturday morning and subsequently spread to a nearby grocery store.

According to preliminary reports, the fire is suspected to have been caused by an electrical short circuit. The flames quickly spread from the leaf-plate shop to the adjoining grocery store, gutting both establishments and destroying the goods stored inside.

After receiving information about the incident, a team from the Odisha Fire and Emergency Services rushed to the spot and launched firefighting operations. The blaze was brought under control before it could spread to other shops in the market.

No casualties or injuries have been reported so far. The exact extent of the property and financial losses is yet to be assessed. Fire officials said the damage would be determined after a detailed inspection.

The incident has once again raised concerns among traders, as the Unit-1 Market has witnessed fire incidents in the past. In an earlier major blaze, more than 10 shops were gutted, causing extensive damage to goods and property worth lakhs of rupees.

The repeated fire incidents have renewed concerns over electrical safety and fire-prevention measures in the busy market area. Authorities are expected to examine the cause of the latest fire and assess whether additional safety measures are required to prevent similar incidents in the future.