Paralakhemundi: A fire broke out Saturday morning at the Regional Transport Office (RTO) in Paralakhemundi, the headquarters of Gajapati district, destroying important official documents and equipment worth lakhs of rupees.
The fire reportedly broke out at around 9:45am in the office’s computer section. Employees who had arrived for work noticed smoke emanating from the server room. Within minutes, the fire spread across the entire section.
Firefighters from the Paralakhemundi fire station reached the spot within about 15 minutes of receiving the alert. By then, the computer room had been badly damaged. Firefighters brought the blaze under control after sustained efforts and prevented it from spreading to other parts of the building.
No employees were injured in the fire incident, officials said. Several other rooms in the office were blackened by thick smoke.
The exact cause of the fire is yet to be established. Fire service personnel suspect that a short circuit may have triggered the blaze.
The incident has raised questions about fire safety arrangements at the government office. The RTO was reportedly scheduled to move to its new building at Betaguda within the next few days.
The timing of the fire has sparked discussion among locals, who have called for a detailed inquiry into the incident. A comprehensive investigation into the cause of the fire and the extent of damage to official records and equipment is expected.