Several shanties were gutted in a major fire that broke out in the Garden Reach area of southern Kolkata on Thursday evening, triggering panic among residents on Christmas Day.
The fire broke out in a garbage depot area of Garden Reach, where a densely populated slum with a large number of shacks and shanties caught fire. The exact cause of the blaze is yet to be ascertained.
According to fire department sources, information about the fire was received around 4.30 p.m., following which seven fire engines were rushed to the spot.
Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control shortly before 6 p.m. after sustained efforts and prevented it from spreading to adjacent areas.
Police said the locality where the fire erupted had numerous small shanties, most of which were completely destroyed in the incident.
The extent of the damage caused by the fire is yet to be assessed. Officials said the blaze could have been triggered by a short circuit or a cylinder explosion, though this can be confirmed only after a detailed investigation.
“The fire has been doused and several shanties have been gutted. Prima facie, it appears that a short circuit may have caused the fire. However, the exact cause will be known after a thorough investigation and inspection of the site,” a senior officer of the Kolkata Police said.
The sudden fire in the slum area on Christmas evening created panic among residents, though no casualty was reported till the filing of this report.
Last week, a major fire broke out in a slum near Eco Park in New Town, which was brought under control after prolonged efforts by 20 fire engines. Another fire was reported last week at an oxygen cylinder factory in Kankurgachi in north Kolkata, where several cylinders exploded one after another, triggering a major blaze.
