After 40 hrs, fire checked; traders look to pick up the pieces

Kolkata: Almost after 40 odd hours, the fire brigade personnel succeeded to check the blaze at Bagree Market on Monday afternoon. As per the version of the Director General (DG) Fire, Jag Mohan, the cooling process is being done until the heat dissolves. Sources informed that though the fire has been arrested, it will take a long time to douse the flames completely.

The fire brigade personnel worked relentlessly throughout the night on Sunday and brought the raging blaze under control. Following this, the fire brigade and the Disaster Management Group (DMG) personnel walked up the ladder and broke the window panes to let the smoke out. Simultaneously, a group of firefighters kept spreading water from various spots to douse the pocket fire.

"35 fire tenders were used. The fire is totally under control. The blaze could still be seen in some pockets but there is no chance of spreading now," said Mohan. In the morning, Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister Firhad Hakim visited Bagree Market. He also met the affected businessmen and traders and assured them that the authority will take stringent action against the offenders. He also advised the shop-owners to file a complaint with the local police station against owner Radha Bagree.

"The businessmen have been badly hit. They are in great fear," he said to the media.

While talking to the shop-owners, a woman requested Hakim to take strict action against Bagree. Replying to her request, Hakim said: "Please file a complaint. I will have a word with the Officer-in-Charge and the police will look into the matter."

In the meantime, the businessmen started entering the market premises to check if anything could be saved. The police also helped them to bring out the stuff that was not impacted by the fire.

Sanjoy Sil, manager of an imitation jewellery shop, informed that a section of the market was not much affected due to the fire. He himself brought out several items which were almost intact. "I, along with some workers, entered our shop and found some jewellery items intact. Our owner stays in Mumbai. We have informed him about the incident. Roughly 40 percent of the stuff somehow got saved," he said.

In the afternoon, after the fire was checked, the KMC officials were asked to move in to remove the burnt materials safely. Soon they arranged garbage collecting dumpers for the process. But due to space constraint inside the narrow alley, the dumpers had to be parked on the side of Brabourne Road. Later, with the help of small battery-operated vehicles and cycle vans, the removal process of the burnt materials began. Also, local traders helped the KMC personnel to clear the narrow lane.