Cuttack: A major fire broke out at a private biscuit manufacturing unit in Jagatpur Industrial area of Cuttack on Saturday morning, causing extensive damage to machinery and raw materials worth Rs 80 lakh. No casualties were reported.Preliminary investigation suggests that an electrical short circuit may have triggered the blaze. The fire ignited around 10 am and raged for nearly two hours before being brought under control by multiple firefighting units.City fire officer Sanjib Behera said, “We received the call around 10 am and immediately deployed two firefighting teams. The fire was intense, particularly on the first floor. It took about two hours to fully douse the flames, and our team ensured it did not spread to adjacent units,” he added.The factory, a two-storey structure, suffered severe damage to its upper floor. Officials said exact assessment of the total damage is underway.Eyewitness Ramesh Sahu, a worker from a nearby unit, said, “We saw thick black smoke rising and rushed out of our building. Within minutes, flames engulfed the top floor of the factory. It was a terrifying sight. The fire brigade arrived quickly and worked hard to control the blaze.”Authorities have urged commercial establishments to conduct regular electrical inspections and ensure fire safety measures are in place to prevent such incidents.Factory owner Durgamadhab Mohapatra said, “Equipment and stored ingredients have been completely gutted. This is a major setback for our operations.”
