Bhubaneswar, Feb. 19 -- A major fire broke out at the residence of a cloth merchant in Barbil town of Keonjhar district early on Thursday morning, gutting goods worth over a lakh of rupees. The blaze engulfed the house of businessman Rohatash Agrawal, causing extensive damage to property.

The ground floor of the building was seen engulfed in flames, which soon spread to the upper floor. Four fire brigade vehicles rushed to the spot and are engaged in efforts to bring the situation under control.

Preliminary information suggests that the fire started in cotton and bedding materials stored on the ground floor before spreading upwards. The exact cause of the blaze is yet to be confirmed.

Locals first spotted the fire and reported the inci...