Cooch Behar witnesses two fire incidents within 24 hours

Cooch Behar: Cooch Behar was witness to two separate fire incidents within 24 hours. On Wednesday night, a fire broke out in the Geography Laboratory of Cooch Behar College and on Thursday afternoon, a major blaze erupted at a prominent gold shop in Bhawaniganj Market.

According to sources, Thursday’s fire at the gold shop caused panic in the busy Bhawaniganj Market. Upon receiving information, the fire brigade promptly reached the spot and brought the situation under control. Along with the police, several prominent figures, including Municipality Chairman Rabindra Nath Ghosh and the president and Secretary of the local Business Committee, rushed to the scene. Chairman Ghosh informed reporters that initial findings suggest the fire was triggered by a short circuit in the shop’s generator room. He alleged that the shop lacked a proper fire control system, which allowed the fire to spread. However, thanks to the quick response of the fire brigade, no significant damage was reported. He also claimed that many of the market’s shops are not constructed according to building codes. A meeting with the District Fire Officer has been proposed to discuss necessary action.

Responding to the Chairman’s comments, District Business Committee president Motilal Jain admitted the faults on the part of the business community. “The Chairman is right. We businessmen are also at fault. But going forward, we must ensure everything is up to standard. As far as building plans are concerned, it’s the municipality’s responsibility to monitor and approve them,” he added. Fire department officer Sujit Das stated that while the exact cause is yet to be confirmed, the preliminary assumption points to a short circuit.

Meanwhile, the fire at Cooch Behar College on Wednesday night also created panic. Local sources reported that the blaze started in the Geography Laboratory. The Fire department responded swiftly after being alerted and managed to extinguish the flames. According to Fire department sources, a computer left on in the lab might have attracted lightning, which is suspected to have caused the fire. The extent of the damage is still under assessment.