Bhubaneswar, November 9, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A seven-year-old boy died and his elderly grandfather sustained critical injuries after a fire broke out in a three-storey building in the Dargha Bazar police station area of Cuttack on Monday, officials said.
The deceased was identified as Biraj Bajuria, a resident of Hathipokhari, near the birthplace of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
A family member told the media that everyone was asleep when the incident occurred early Monday morning. The person, who was sweeping the rooftop at the time, suspected that a short circuit had triggered the fire.
Fire Services personnel rushed to the building after receiving information about the blaze on its second floor. Three teams from Cuttack, Choudwar and Bidanasi Fire Stations jointly carried out the operation and brought the fire under control.
According to the Fire Services department, three people were rescued and shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital for treatment. The boy was declared dead at the hospital, while his grandfather remains in critical condition. The child reportedly died due to suffocation.
Although the exact cause of the fire is yet to be established, a short circuit involving decorative lights installed for Diwali is suspected to have triggered the blaze. The fire intensified after three cooking gas cylinders kept inside the house exploded.
Meanwhile, fire-related incidents were reported from several parts of Odisha during Diwali celebrations on Sunday, leaving people with burn injuries. More than 50 people reportedly sustained burn injuries in Bhubaneswar alone.
In another incident, a 14-year-old student, identified as Chinmay Sahu, died after a firecracker explosion in the Raghunathpalli police station area of Rourkela in Sundargarh district late Sunday night.
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