A fire broke out on BB Ganguly Street in central Calcutta on Tuesday morning, triggering panic in one of the city’s busiest market areas during peak office hours.

The blaze was first reported from a cluster of shops on the ground floor, including one selling plywood, another furniture and the third, plastic goods.

According to fire and emergency services officials, the fire originated inside the plywood shop and quickly intensified, aided by strong northwesterly winds that fanned the flames. Ten fire engines were deployed to control the blaze, which spread rapidly to a residential house located behind the row of shops.

Thick smoke billowed across the area, reducing visibility and causing chaos as shopkeepers, office-goers and residents rushed to evacuate.

Firefighters faced significant challenges due to the narrow lanes, combustible materials stored inside the shops and continuous wind flow. Locals alleged that the firefighters were struggling to contain the blaze. “The fire keeps flaring up. We are scared it will spread further,” said a resident of the nearby high-rise.

Police cordoned off the area to manage crowds and facilitate firefighting operations, while traffic movement along BB Ganguly Street was disrupted. No casualties were reported till the time of filing this report, though the extent of property damage is expected to be substantial.

The cause of the fire remains unknown and will be investigated once the fire is fully under control.