KoPT godown fire: Plaint lodged, cops to probe lapses

Kolkata: A fire that broke out at a godown of the Kolkata Port Trust close to Armenian Ferry Ghat on Tuesday evening has been brought under control after an overnight fight by the state Fire and Emergency Services department.

A total of 24 fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames in the godowns that were packed with inflammable materials.

Mayor Sovan Chatterjee, who is also the state Fire minister, had visited the spot on Tuesday night. On Wednesday, he said that a complaint has been lodged against the occupier and the users. Police have been directed to identify them and take necessary steps in this connection.

He further said: "What I found during my visit is that it is situated at the river bank and it is of KoPT. So the organisiation that owns it also have certain responsibilities."

There will be a forensic examination and necessary probe will be conducted to ascertain the exact cause of fire.

As the firefighting continued on Wednesday, the ferry service from Armenian ghat and circular railway were kept suspended.

The KoPT has also lodged a complaint with North Port Police Station (NPPS) against the "occupiers of the warehouse". It has been mentioned that the warehouse was packed with highly inflammable materials including motor car spare parts, rubber pipes, electrical apparatus, etc.

It may be mentioned that there was another godown adjacent to the one that is of KoPT. The fire had also spread to the adjacent godown where diesel barrels were stocked for ferry services from the ghat.

The firefighters had left no stone unturned and managed to keep the fire restricted within the two godowns including one of KoPT on 1726.956 square metre area that has been gutted due to the fire.

There were five sections in the godown, two of which were in a dilapidated state while the two others were occupied illegally. KoPt has taken one godown under its possession after evicting its

"unauthorised occupant". People, who reside in nearby areas, were removed too.