Baleshwar: Two shops were gutted after a fire broke out on the busy Town Hall Road in Baleshwar late Saturday night.
A short circuit is suspected to have caused the blaze.
No casualties were reported, but property worth several lakhs of rupees was destroyed.
According to sources, the fire broke out at around 2:30 am at Muna Hotel and Sharma Ply, located next to the Baleshwar fire station.
The blaze reportedly started in one shop before spreading to the other.
Local residents spotted the fire and alerted the fire brigade.
However, traders in the area alleged that firefighters failed to reach the spot in time, allowing the flames to spread and intensify despite the shops being located right next to the fire station.