At least 40 houses were today gutted and around a dozen cattle charred to death in a major fire that broke out at Saloni village of Chhattisgarh's Balodbazar district, police said.
However, no loss of life was reported in the incident, police said.
According to police, efforts are still underway to douse the flames.
"The incident took place in the village, about 110km from here, under Palari police station limits this afternoon. The fire rapidly spread to an entire street," a police official said.
"While no human life was lost, about 40 houses, both kutcha and cemented, completely gutted and a dozen of livestock were charred alive in the incident. Besides that, a few two-wheelers were also burnt," he said.
The exact assessment of loss was yet to be done as work of dousing the flames was still going on, the official said.
"The cause of the blaze was yet to be ascertained, although prima facie a dump of the paddy straw caught fire that led to the fire," he said.
Soon after getting information, a police team was rushed to the spot and later six fire-fighting vehicles were called from Baloda Bazaar headquarters, located around 25 km from the spot, to douse the fire, he said.
Senior administration and police officials immediately reached the spot. The arrangements for food and shelter were being done for affected people at local schools and Aanganwadi centre, he added.
