Balasore, April 30: A high-level probe will be conducted into the fire mishap that gutted an explosive store house at the Proof and Experimental Establishment, a unit of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, in Chandipur yesterday.

After containing the blaze in early morning yesterday, fire fighters were again pressed into service in the evening after the authorities had seen smoke emanating from the same site.

“Around 8pm, we got a call from the unit. The authorities suspected that the blaze had not been completely doused. But, nothing alarming was found,” said assistant station fire officer Suryamani Nayak.

The Centre for Fire, Explosive and Environment Safety will investigate the incident, sources said. “Things are normal here. We are waiting for an expert team, which is likely to arrive here today, to conduct probe,” said A.K. Sannigrahi, a senior scientist of the defence establishment.

The fire broke out in building No. AL-18 that stored propellants, which were completely gutted in the fire.

The building, having blast-off walls for accident safety, has a storing capacity of around 25 tonnes materials. It had a stock of nearly 15 to 18 tonnes at the time of the mishap.

Authorities have ruled out electrical short circuit having been the reason behind the incident. They stated that no power supply was given to the magazine complex. Circumstantial evidences suggested that dry leaves had not caused it as well. It presumed that self-generated heat in the room might have caused ignition.