Simanti Das, a post-doctoral fellow in the department of zoology at Ballygunge Science College, was working in a first-floor laboratory when she heard her teacher shouting and asking all to leave immediately. Simanti joined others in running out of the room and rushing down the stairs, leaving behind her laptop, notebook and other valuables. Firefighters returned the items to her three hours later. Here is Simanti's account of the ordeal:

I was working with three or four others in the laboratory around 5.45pm when I smelt something burning. A little later I heard our teacher Urmi Chatterjee shouting and asking everyone to leave because of a fire. Two of my juniors were working in the cell culture section in a segregated part of the room. I went over there and asked them to leave.

All of us panicked and ran out of the room, leaving behind our belongings. Almost everyone in the lab had their laptops on. We store research data and analyses in laptops.

In our desperation to leave the room, we left behind our laptops. Some even did not collect their purses and mobile phones.

A junior working in the cell culture section ran down without wearing his shoes.

The corridor we were running through was filled with smoke.

After coming down we heard that a teacher and some students were trapped inside. We were relieved when all of them came down safely.

Nearly two hours later, when the fire was put out, some of us went upstairs.

But I didn't enter the laboratory as the inside was dark and there was water all over the floor.

After some time I told the firefighters that my laptop was inside the room. The firemen retrieved it and returned it to me. They recovered the items left behind by others, too.

I still don't know whether the notebook where I had jotted down important data and observations is gutted or not. I will get to know that after I enter the lab again.

As told to Subhajoy Roy