India, March 23 -- A powerful explosion rocked a book warehouse near Janata Kothi in Odisha's Jagatsinghpur late last night, leaving three people critically injured and reducing books worth lakhs of rupees to ashes.

Locals rushed to the spot immediately after the blast, rescuing the injured and taking them to Jagatsinghpur District Headquarters Hospital for initial treatment. As their condition worsened, they were later shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for better treatment.

The intensity of the explosion was so severe that it caused cracks in the warehouse walls. The exact cause of the blast remains unknown.

Fire Services personnel from Balikuda arrived at the scene and doused the flames before further damage...