Six persons, including two women, were injured when a fire broke out in a shanty on Beltala Road in the Bhowanipore area on Monday afternoon.
Bystanders said they spotted flames leaping out of a house on 39 Beltala Road around 2pm. And within minutes, the blaze spread to the adjoining houses.
Thick fumes covered the locality near the office of the public vehicles department (PVD) in Beltala.
Ballygunge police station — which is a stone’s throw away from the area — and the fire services department were informed immediately.
“The fumes entered several houses and made it difficult to reach the seat of fire, which started from a kitchen. Some of those who were near the blaze couldn’t move out and were injured while trying to douse it,” a senior officer of Ballygunge police station.
“Many complained of shortness of breath.”
After the police arrived, a stretch of Beltala Road was cordoned off to help fire department officials enter the blaze-hit area.
A usually crowded pocket of the city, the road did not have too many vehicles because the PVD office was closed for Chhath Puja.
Fire department officials said by the time they could arrive with a fire tender, some of the residents had managed to bring the fire under control.
“Our team members reached the fire and rescued some of the injured from their houses with the help of the police,” a senior officer of the fire and emergency services department said.
“At least six persons were shifted from the area and admitted to SSKM Hospital.”
The police said among those admitted, Suparna Chakraborty, 51, was admitted to the burn unit of SSKM Hospital, while Shakuntala Jana, 56, was admitted to the female ward. “Four other persons were discharged from the hospital after necessary treatment. The fire appears to have started because of a leakage from an LPG cylinder. Forensic experts will assess the exact cause on Tuesday,” the police officer said.