An AC compressor exploded during a maintenance job at Bhubaneswar’s Unit-2 Market Building on Thursday, critically injuring two technicians and renewing concerns about safety and emergency access at one of the city’s busiest commercial complexes.
The blast occurred during gas refilling, according to preliminary information reported by Pragativadi. A technical fault or sudden high-pressure build-up may have triggered the explosion, although police have begun an investigation to establish the exact cause. No other casualties were reported.
The injured technicians were taken to Capital Hospital by local people after the incident. The explosion was loud enough to shake nearby shops, prompting an immediate response from Capital police and fire service teams, which reached the market and took control of the situation.
The incident comes against the backdrop of wider safety concerns at the Unit-2 Market Building. The complex attracts large numbers of shoppers every day, but parts of the building are ageing and basic facilities, including water supply and smart kiosks, have frequently remained non-functional, the report said.
Shopkeepers also routinely place goods along corridors and footpaths, while electrical wiring in parts of the market has been described as haphazard. These conditions contribute to congestion and can make it harder for emergency responders to reach affected areas quickly. Traffic and parking are persistent problems around the market, with vehicles often parked irregularly because of limited dedicated parking space.
The concerns extend to the nearby Unit-1 Market, where repeated fires have highlighted the difficulty of emergency operations in densely occupied commercial areas. Nearly 97 shops were gutted in a fire in January 2026, while two more shops were destroyed in August, according to the report. Fire tenders in such incidents have been forced to operate from the main road because internal lanes are narrow and heavily encroached.
The presence of plastic, polythene and other combustible materials in shops can allow fires to spread rapidly, the report said. Ambulances face similar access problems, with narrow lanes, chaotic parking and heavy crowds potentially delaying medical response.
The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has planned underground pipelines, hydrant points and sprinklers for the market areas. Around ₹26 crore has been sanctioned for the project, and some shops have already been demolished to widen roads. Full implementation of the planned safety infrastructure remains pending.
Shopkeepers’ associations have also discussed expansion and modernisation proposals for the markets, but progress has been slow. The latest explosion has brought renewed attention to the need for regular structural and electrical inspections, dedicated emergency corridors and enforcement of occupancy and safety norms.
Police are continuing their investigation into the compressor blast. The next steps will depend on the findings regarding the equipment, gas refilling process and safety conditions at the site.
