Jharsuguda, Jul 22: A major fire broke out at a shopping mall building in Sarbahal, on the outskirts of Jharsuguda town in Odisha, on Wednesday morning, triggering panic in the area.

According to reports, local residents noticed thick plumes of smoke rising from the three-storey building and immediately alerted the Fire Services. In response, five firefighting teams were rushed to the spot to contain the blaze.

Despite sustained efforts, firefighters struggled to bring the fire under control as the flames spread rapidly through the building. Dense smoke filling the premises made firefighting operations extremely difficult and hampered rescue efforts.

Preliminary reports suggest the fire originated on the ground floor before quickly engulfing the entire structure. The exact cause of the blaze is yet to be ascertained.

No casualties or injuries have been reported so far. Authorities are continuing efforts to extinguish the fire and assess the extent of the damage. An investigation will be launched to determine the cause of the incident once the situation is brought under control.