A fire broke out in a temporary structure on the roof of a four-storeyed building on Prince Anwar Shah Road on Thursday afternoon.
The building is situated near the Lake Gardens bridge. It houses a mass communication and film studies institute and a guest house.
No fatalities were reported in the fire that started around 1pm.
Five fire tenders were dispatched, and the fire was contained within an hour. However, during its duration, enormous flames and dense plumes of smoke emanating from the roof created a frightening scene.
Some residents alleged that a kitchen was being operated from the roof and that it was stacked with inflammables.
A man who answered the call to a number available on the Internet, associated with the guest house, denied the allegations.
“The fire resulted from an electrical problem. Some electrical work was going on. There was no inflammable item,” the man said.
The charred remains of the structure revealed an asbestos shade and a netted fence.
Fire and emergency services minister Sujit Bose told a TV channel: “There is a list of SoP (Standard Operating Procedure) for rooftop establishments. The department will look into whether there was any violation in this case. If there is any violation, there will be legal action.”