A fire broke out in Kolkata’s wholesale market, Burrabazaar on Monday evening. A multi-storey building housing several godowns was nearly gutted after a massive fire broke out, creating panic among the residents.
The situation was not under control as the number of fire tenders at the spot had to be increased and a total of 25 were at the location, along with the disaster management team.
Burrabazar is located in Kolkata’s central business district.
The fire broke out at around 10 pm near Bagri Bazar and 30 fire tenders were pressed into service. The fire intensified due to the presence of inflammable materials, including plastic and gas cylinders in the godown, a senior official of the fire department said.
A senior official of the fire department said:
It is a massive fire and we are trying to douse it, but the thick smoke is making it difficult for us to reach the spot since the building is located in a congested area behind Burrabazar police station. The blaze is also spreading fast due to the presence of inflammable materials.
State Fire Service Minister Sovan Chatterjee visited the spot to monitor the fire fighting operation.
Chatterjee, who is also the city’s mayor, said:
Around 21-22 fire engines are working. The fire fighters are having to carry water from other areas to douse the flames. We hope the fire would be controlled within a short while.
"The entire area has been cordoned off. Traffic at Rabindra Sarani has been stopped while the traffic on M G Road was restricted," a police officer said
Kolkata Municipal Corporation estimated that around 600 buildings in Burrabazar are risky and hazardous and another 500 partly risky.
According to West Bengal Fire Service officials, at least 100 persons were injured in separate mishaps in which five buildings collapsed and 30 buildings caved in partially in 2007.
On 31 March 2016, a flyover on Vivekananda Road near Burrabazar collapsed, killing 22 people and injuring many more.
(With inputs from PTI, ANI, IANS)
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