Bhubaneswar: Six shops were gutted and property worth lakhs were reduced to ashes at CRP vending zone near Nayapalli, Wednesday afternoon.
Commuters and locals first saw smoke coming out from a shop in the CRP vending zone. Within a few minutes, the fire engulfed five other shops. Fruit shops, tiffin centres and a fast food centre were also gutted.
The owners of the shops and other locals tried their best to douse the fire, but failed to do so because of lack of water.
The combustible articles on the roof of these shops made it more difficult for them to douse the fire.
On being informed, two fire engines from the Secretariat Fire Station reached the spot and doused the fire. It took them one hour to bring the fire under control.
An electrical short circuit is suspected to be the reason for the accident.
PNN