A major fire broke out in a slum near New Alipore Bridge, close to BP Poddar Hospital, on Saturday evening around 7 PM, gutting approximately 40 to 50 shanties. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported, according to a fire brigade official.
The blaze reportedly started in one of the huts within the slum area and quickly spread to surrounding homes. Locals reported hearing explosions, which authorities believe could have been caused by domestic gas cylinder bursts. Thick plumes of smoke rose into the sky as the fire intensified rapidly, alarming residents of the nearby multi-storey building and private hospital.
Despite attempts by locals to extinguish the flames, the fire quickly became uncontrollable. A total of 10 fire tenders were dispatched to the scene to fight the blaze. In a coordinated effort, army personnel from a nearby camp in New Alipore also assisted by spraying water from military tanks.
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire. West Bengal Minister Aroop Biswas and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim visited the site following the incident to assess the damage and offer support.
The situation was brought under control after hours of firefighting efforts, but the cause and extent of the damage are still being evaluated.
