Cuttack, September 3: A major fire broke out at Unit-2 of Pragati Milk factory in the Jagatpur Industrial Estate in Cuttack on Thursday morning.

The fire reportedly started around 7:30 am in the deep freezers at the factory’s storage area and soon spread to the main building. The presence of butter and ghee stored in the freezers is believed to have contributed to the rapid spread of the flames.

On receiving information, fire services personnel rushed to the spot and launched an operation to douse the blaze. Five fire tenders and more than 20 firefighters have been deployed to bring the situation under control.

As the fire spread to the inner sections of the factory, parts of the building are being demolished with the help of a JCB machine to provide access to the affected areas and facilitate firefighting operations.

The exact cause of the fire and the extent of the damage are yet to be ascertained. The fire services department is conducting an investigation into the incident.