Mohammad Alam stares at the flames devouring his eight godowns in Nandaram and Kashiram markets. He said on Monday that he had lost stocks worth more than Rs 2 crore. Picture by Pabitra Das

Seventy-two hours have passed, but the fire is still burning in Burrabazar. Losses are mounting with every passing minute...

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Name: Mohammad Alam, 48

Shop: Eight godowns in Nandaram and Kashiram. The resident of Park Street deals in garments, buttons and chains. On Friday, fresh stocks had arrived from China.

Lost: Stocks worth “more than Rs 2 crore”. Till Monday morning, he was clinging on to the hope that something could be salvaged.

“I heard about the fire very late. So, unlike many other traders, I could not go in and save my goods. But I had not lost hope, as the firemen told me that portions of some shops in the front part of Nandaram were not damaged. My hopes were shattered today when the fire spread. Now, nothing is left,” said Alam, struggling to hold back his tears.

Insured: Partially.

What will he do now: Alam had started off with a 100-sq-ft shop years ago. “Twenty years back, I only had one small shop in Nandaram. I worked hard and built everything. Ek hi baar mein sab khatam ho gaya,” said Alam.

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Name: Tarun Mukherjee, 32

Shop: A garment store on the eighth floor of Nandaram. More than 30 people worked in the 40-year-old shop.

Lost: Over Rs 1 crore.

Insured: Partially.

What will he do now: “I have a job. Even my mother works. My father ran the shop, which we will close down. I have asked my father to sit at home. He is 65 and I do not want him to take so much stress. We will survive, but what will happen to the families of our 30 workers? Who will provide for them?” wondered Tarun.

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Name: Randhir Bachhawat, 52

Shop: A cosmetics shop on the third floor and a godown on the fifth floor of Nandaram.

Lost: Everything. “The godown was full. We supply cosmetics to shops on Canning Street and in New Market and some malls,” said Bachhawat.

Insured: Partially.

What will he do now: “We earned our bread and butter from the market for 35 years. We are determined to put this episode behind us and start afresh,” said Bachhawat.

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Name: Ranjit Chowdhury, 48

Shop: The trader in dress material has a godown on the fourth floor of Kashiram.

Lost: “Fresh stock had arrived on January 6. Everything is destroyed,” said Chowdhury.

Insured: No.

What will he do now: Shift to a shop on MG Road.

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Name: Motilal Pachisiya, 52

Shop: A clothing store on the seventh floor of Nandaram.

Lost: Stocks worth Rs 7 lakh. “I could only save a few documents after rushing to the shop on hearing about the fire. The clothes were completely burnt,” said Pachisiya.

Insured: No.

What will he do now: Wait for the fire to be put out to assess the condition of his store. “The authorities should allow us to build a new complex here so that all of us can start afresh,” said Pachisiya.

Who is to blame for the losses suffered at Nandaram? Tell ttmetro@abpmail.com