10 shanties gutted in major fire opposite Ruby Hospital

Kolkata: At least 10 shanties were burnt to ashes after a major fire broke out at the 'bede bustee' opposite Ruby Hospital, late on Wednesday night. No one was injured in the incident.

According to sources, on Wednesday night at around 12:15 am, fire broke out at a shanty inside the bustee. A few occupants of another shanty saw the flame and alerted the occupants. After they evacuated the place, fire started spreading to other shanties within moments.

As wind was blowing, the fire was spreading fast. Meanwhile, Anandapur police station and fire brigade were informed. After a few minutes, two fire tenders reached the spot and commenced firefighting operations. But due to high wind in the area, they faced problem while dousing the fire.

After almost an hour, the fire was brought under control. It is suspected that the fire broke out while cooking was going on inside a shanty. A spark fell on the temporary structure, which subsequently caused the blaze.

Locals alleged that the fire tenders had arrived late and as a consequence, the shanties were burnt. However, fire brigade and police denied the allegation and claimed that firefighting operations had started promptly. The exact cause of fire is yet to be ascertained.