A serious hearth broke out in a slum close to New Alipore Bridge in Kolkata, near BP Poddar Hospital, on Saturday night round 7PM, gutting round 40-50 shanties, a hearth brigade official mentioned, including nobody was injured within the incident.
Practically 16 hearth tenders had been deployed to the spot to carry the blaze beneath management, which unfold because of the wind. Military personnel from the New Alipore Military camp joined the Hearth Brigade personnel to battle the flames.
The fireplace tenders have been nonetheless at work to completely douse the blaze which was raging in some pockets and it might take a number of extra hours to douse it fully, he mentioned. Onlookers mentioned that greater than 50 huts have been destroyed within the large hearth, onlookers may hear the fuel cylinders bursting.
Minister Arup Biswas and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, who visited the spot, mentioned that there have been no stories of casualty. “This land belongs to the railways and has been encroached upon. These are unauthorised slums. We additionally don’t know when individuals began staying in these slums,” Hakim mentioned.
“Solely after investigation will we get to know what’s the purpose for the fireplace. There’s something most likely because of the chilly climate. Individuals are making an attempt to maintain heat and plastic is used, so many fires need to be investigated,” he added.
In the meantime, one of many slum dwellers mentioned, “The place will we go on this wet winter night time? The native councilor and state administration must determine the place we are going to keep.”
The Durgapur Bridge was closed to visitors, and prepare motion on the Sealdah-Budge Budge line was additionally halted as a precautionary measure.
Congress state president Subhankar Sarkar, who visited the spot, expressed concern over frequent fires in slums and the way the poor have been the worst hit.
A fireplace broke out on the Topsia Basti close to Science Metropolis on Friday morning, leaving almost 200 shanties lowered to ashes.
— WITH PTI
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