(Top): Firemen train a jet of water to douse the flames. (Above): Some of the office employees who were trapped wait to be rescued. Pictures by Pabitra Das

A fire broke out in a building housing over 50 offices in Crooked Lane, behind Paradise cinema, on Monday afternoon. No one was injured in the incident.

A short-circuit in an electrical meter box sparked off the fire that caused extensive damage on the ground and first floor, said a fireman.

A septuagenarian, a woman and two other persons trapped in the blaze in a second-floor office in the building were rescued by firemen.

“A thick blanket of smoke enveloped the building, forcing people inside to evacuate it. We received a call around 2.30 pm reporting the fire,” said an officer in the fire brigade control room. “Two tenders were immediately sent to the spot. Another tender was later sent for assistance. The blaze was brought under control in half-an-hour. However, it took a long time for the smoke to clear,” she added.

Four employees of medical equipment manufacturer Alpha India — including Om Prakash Sangaria, 70, and Sampa Mukherjee — were trapped on the second floor. “They were in a state of shock. They thought it was the end for them. The other people in the building left it as soon as the smoke was noticed. The four could not climb down the stairs because of the thick smoke,” said Mrinal Sur of Alpha India.

Firemen tried to gain access to the second floor with a ladder. They broke the windows to let out the smoke. The four trapped people then left the building via the staircase.

Several offices in the building and the ones adjacent to it deal with photography and film equipment, which are highly inflammable. According to the firemen, this led to the quick spread of the fire.

The flames spread fast since the rooms were filled with wooden furniture, paper and other combustible material.

“We couldn’t reach the spot on time due to traffic congestion. Because the lane is narrow, the fire tenders could not be driven close to the building,” said a fireman.