Bhubaneswar, 20 December (H.S.) : At least five acres of harvested paddy were destroyed in a devastating fire after an 11 kV overhead power line snapped at Talapada village under Remuna block in Balasore district late on Friday night. The incident occurred just hours after farmers had harvested the crop and stacked it in agricultural fields for drying and storage.

According to local sources, the high-tension electric wire broke and fell directly onto the stacked paddy, instantly triggering a blaze that spread rapidly across the field. By the time villagers noticed the fire, large portions of the harvested crop had already been reduced to ashes.

Five farmers identified as Pitambar Barik, Sushant Dash, Shambhunath Barik, Jadunath Mallik, and another cultivator from the same village—suffered heavy losses in the incident. The affected farmers said the destroyed paddy represented nearly a year’s worth of hard work and financial investment.

The fire completely gutted the harvested produce spread over approximately five acres. Farmers stated that the crop had been cut and kept in the open fields only hours before the incident, a common practice during the harvest season.

Villagers alleged that poor maintenance of overhead power lines in the area has repeatedly posed serious risks, particularly during the dry months when harvested crops remain highly vulnerable to fire hazards. They demanded urgent inspection and repair of power infrastructure to prevent such incidents in the future.

On being alerted early Saturday morning, the Bahanga fire services unit rushed to the spot and managed to bring the blaze under control, preventing it from spreading to nearby farmlands and residential areas.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda