By The Sampadak Express
A devastating fire broke out in Kolkata’s Khidirpur market area in the early hours of Monday, reducing hundreds of shops to ashes. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported so far.
The blaze reportedly started around 1 a.m., and quickly spread across the crowded market. By the time 20 fire engines were deployed to the site, much of the market was already engulfed in flames. It took several hours for the fire department to bring the situation under control.
Locals have alleged that the fire department’s delayed response worsened the situation. According to several eyewitnesses, fire engines arrived more than an hour after the first distress calls were made. Many shopkeepers, devastated by the loss of their businesses, voiced frustration at the authorities.“
All the shopowners are sitting here helplessly. We have lost everything. This is a massive failure of the authorities. The fire gutted our lifetime of work,” one distressed shopowner said. He further alleged that many of the fire tenders were ill-equipped, with some lacking sufficient water supply a claim echoed by several others at the scene.
West Bengal Fire and Emergency Services Minister Sujit Bose visited the site on Monday morning to assess the damage. Speaking to the media, he dismissed allegations of unpreparedness. “The narrow lanes of the market area made access difficult for our engines, which prolonged the firefighting operation. Our teams risked their lives to contain the blaze. Also, many shops lack proper safety measures, which complicates such incidents,” Mr. Bose stated.
Angry locals staged a protest during the Minister’s visit, demanding accountability for the incident.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised serious questions over recurring fire incidents in Kolkata. In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), the party criticized Minister Sujit Bose’s comments, stating, “The Minister is trying to shirk responsibility by blaming illegal constructions. Was the Kolkata Mayor unaware that these illegal structures existed in his jurisdiction?” The party has demanded a thorough investigation into the incident.
This latest tragedy comes barely a month after a fire at a hotel in Kolkata’s Burrabazar area claimed 14 lives, raising serious concerns over fire safety compliance in the city’s congested commercial hubs. Following that incident, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and police had launched a series of fire safety inspections across various marketplaces. Monday’s fire is likely to intensify scrutiny over the enforcement of these safety regulations.
