Distraught school children after a massive fire destroyed their homes in Armenian Ghat, Kolkata, on Thursday (Express Photo by Tirthankar Saha)
A major fire broke out at a godown used for storing chemicals near Armenian Ghat in Kolkata on Thursday. The blaze even spread to the nearby slums located beside circular railway track between BBD Bag and Burrabazar stations. No one was injured, police said. Sources in the police said five huts were gutted, while 15 were partially damaged. Police said 21 fire tenders were pressed into service. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
“At around 12.05 pm, the fire broke out at the warehouse where chemicals were stored. Twenty-one fire tenders tamed the blaze by 1.35 pm with the help of police, disaster management team and CESC staffs. Necessary investigation has been initiated,” said a police official. Police sources said the fire spread fast as the godown contained inflammable materials.
Following the incident, movement of vehicles on roads, including on Howrah Bridge, was affected. Train services in the circular railway track also got disrupted between 12.05 pm to 4 pm. One train was stopped at Princep Ghat, while another at Burrabazar station.