Angul: As many as six houses were reduced to ashes while at least 20 goats and chickens were burnt alive in a deadly fire at Tampar in Iswar Nagar panchayat under Pallahara police limits here late Friday night.
While no exact reason of the fire was known, the police launched a probe into the incident.
Sources said the incident occurred late Friday night while everyone in the village was asleep after dinner. Suddenly, sparks erupted in a local’s house.
Soon, it spread to other houses in the neighbourhood. Residents woke up to find the blaze. But it was too late as the fire had already engulfed around six houses and a cattle shed.
Locals called up the fire brigade for help. By the arrival of the fire tender team, the flames had burnt down valuable household goods, electronic items and paddy worth lakhs of rupees.