A massive fire engulfed the fish market at the Link Road daily market in Cuttack, Odisha, on Monday morning.
The incident disrupted one of the city's primary commercial hubs and threatened adjacent infrastructure, including a local bank. Because the blaze occurred in a densely packed market area, the risk of rapid spread to neighboring businesses was high.
Emergency responders deployed eight fire tenders [1] to control the blaze. Approximately 50 firefighters [2] were sent to the scene to battle the flames and prevent the fire from consuming more of the market stalls.
The fire broke out in the fish market section of the Link Road daily market, where it quickly grew in intensity. The flames eventually spread to a nearby bank, complicating the dousing operation as crews worked to protect financial records, and property.
Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the fire. Firefighters focused their efforts on containing the perimeter to ensure the blaze did not move further into the residential or commercial zones of Cuttack. The operation continued throughout the morning as crews worked to fully extinguish the remaining hotspots.
“A massive fire engulfed the fish market at the Link Road daily market”
The fire highlights the vulnerability of traditional Indian daily markets, where high density and combustible materials often accelerate the spread of blazes. The extension of the fire to a nearby bank underscores the danger that poorly zoned commercial areas pose to critical financial infrastructure during urban emergencies.
