Nimtala Ghat fire: 20 engines battle blaze for 7 hrs
Kolkata: A major fire broke out near Nimtala Ghat in Kolkata late Friday night, however, no injuries were reported.
The fire was controlled around 8.40 am on Saturday after nearly seven hours of firefighting efforts by 20 fire tenders. However, even after being controlled, fire erupted in several pockets at the spot, which took additional time to be doused.
Sources said the fire originated in a timber godown located on Maharshi Devendra Road, under Jorabagan Police Station jurisdiction and quickly spread to nearby areas.
Initially, four fire tenders were dispatched, later 16 more engines were pressed into action. Kolkata Police and the Disaster Management Group (DMG) were also present at the spot.
State Fire Minister Sujit Bose rushed to the area on Friday night to assess the situation. He issued a stern warning to the business owners in the area, emphasising the need for better safety precautions. He stated: “We had previously held a meeting with local godown owners and urged them to take necessary precautions, as their godowns are located in densely populated areas. Despite our efforts to raise awareness, it appears that some have not followed our suggestions. While business is important, the safety of human lives should be a priority. Thankfully, no casualties occurred today, but now it’s time to take legal action against those who fail to comply with safety guidelines.”
Shashi Panja, the local MLA, visited the site on Saturday morning. She assured the residents of assistance and promised rehabilitation support. The affected families were later relocated to a nearby community centre for shelter. Sagarika Ghosh, a local resident whose home was severely damaged in the fire, said: “We couldn’t bring anything out of our home. Everything is burned. I only have the saree I’m wearing now. Where will we live?”
According to police, the exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
Residents reported hearing several explosions after the fire broke out, which are suspected to have been caused by exploding
gas cylinders.
Sources said that the fire may have been fuelled by the presence of flammable materials.
