Panic ensues as fire spreads near Jharsuguda airport.

A major fire was reported in a small forest near Veer Surendra Sai Airport on Monday morning, causing panic among the locals. It took the firefighters approximately two hours to put out the blazing flames, which were spreading rapidly due to the dry conditions. The fire was first spotted around 11 am in the bushes and dry vegetation located in front of the airport boundary. As it continued to grow in size, concerns were raised about its proximity to important installations such as the airport and an Indian Oil Corporation Ltd depot. Realizing the potential risk, Jharsuguda tehsildar Sadakar Kumbhar was quick to arrive at the scene and assess the situation. In order to tackle the fire, five fire tenders were deployed - two from the state Fire Services department, one from the airport authority, and two from Vedanta Limited. With their coordinated efforts, the flames were eventually brought under control. Kumbhar mentioned that the cause of the fire is still unknown, but similar incidents have been known to occur due to a lack of public awareness. He further added that had the fire not been contained in time, it could have posed a serious threat to the airport and nearby facilities, including the IOCL depot. As reported by Orissa POST, Odisha's leading English daily, the fire has been successfully extinguished, thanks to the prompt response and teamwork of the authorities involved. Let us all be vigilant and mindful of our surroundings to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.