A major fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon at a plastic warehouse near Dhapa, off the Basanti Highway in Kolkata, reducing several makeshift shanties to ashes.
The fire was reportedly triggered by highly flammable materials stored inside the godown, situated roughly 300 metres from JW Marriot Kolkata.
The fire was still raging at the time this report was published, with thick black smoke emanating from the site.
Due to the presence of combustible substances in the warehouse, the flames have intensified, local sources said.
There are no reports of casualties yet, but panic has gripped local residents as the fire threatens to spread further.
According to fire department sources, four fire tenders were dispatched to the spot as soon as the alert was received.
Firefighters are currently engaged in bringing the blaze under control. Before the fire brigade arrived, residents made initial attempts to douse the flames using water from a nearby pond.
This is the latest in a series of fire accidents in the city in the past two months, raising questions about fire safety norms in Kolkata.
A devastating fire ravaged the Orphangunj Market in Khidderpore area of Kolkata in the early hours of June 16, reducing nearly 1,000 shops to ashes. The blaze, which broke out before dawn, prompted a large-scale firefighting operation as dense plumes of smoke enveloped the neighbourhood.
The incident happened weeks after a fire at Rituraj Hotel in central Kolkata in April claimed the lives of at least 14 people, including two children.
In the wake of the recent fire tragedies, the state fire and emergency services department, in coordination with Kolkata Police and West Bengal Police, decided to introduce green corridors across the city.
The initiative, announced in June, aims to ensure quicker movement of fire tenders during emergencies, particularly in congested pockets of Kolkata and adjoining commissionerates.
