A fire broke out at a Ganesh Puja pandal in Odisha’s Sambalpur city on Monday evening, police said.
No injuries or fatalities were reported as a result of the blaze, according to a police officer.
The incident occurred at approximately 8:20 PM in the Deheripali area, shortly after the main puja rituals had concluded at the pandal, he said.
The entire marquee was completely destroyed in the fire due to the presence of highly inflammable construction materials, stated Fire Officer Sudam Kishko.
Fire tenders arrived at the scene and managed to fully douse the flames after an hour-long operation, he added.
Officials suspect that the fire may have been ignited by a burning lamp or caused by an electrical short circuit.
The precise cause of the fire will be confirmed following a detailed investigation, Kishko noted.
