Bhubaneswar: As many as 416 people have lost their lives in fire accidents across Odisha over the past three financial years, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari informed the State Assembly on Thursday.
In a written reply to a question by BJD legislator Arun Kumar Sahoo, the minister said the fatalities were recorded between 2022–23 and 2024–25. The highest number of deaths—192—was reported in 2022–23, followed by 118 in 2023–24 and 106 in 2024–25, indicating a declining trend over the period.
Apart from the loss of lives, fire incidents during these three years caused significant damage to property and housing. Assets worth approximately ₹27.84 crore were destroyed, while 2,537 houses were affected across the state.
Detailing the compensation framework, Pujari said that the next of kin of those who die in fire-related accidents are provided an ex gratia of ₹4 lakh under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) norms.
Injured victims are also eligible for financial assistance depending on the duration of their hospitalisation. Those undergoing treatment for more than a week receive ₹16,000, while those hospitalised for a shorter period are given ₹5,400.
The government also provides aid for housing damage. In cases of complete destruction, affected families receive ₹1.30 lakh in hilly areas and ₹1.20 lakh in plain regions. For partial damage, assistance of ₹6,500 is extended for pucca houses and ₹4,000 for kutcha houses, the minister added.
