Date:14/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/14/stories/2008011454311300.htm

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Burrabazar fire still rages on

Special Correspondent

Fire-fighters from the Army lend a hand to the local force

— Photo: Arunangsu Roy Chowdhury

NO LET-UP: The towering inferno at the Nandaram Market complex on Sunday. The major fire which broke out in Burrabazar area on Saturday is still out of control.

KOLKATA: The fire that broke out more than 43 hours ago in the Burrabazar area, a major trade hub of the city, continued to rage late on Sunday evening even as the sound of a series of explosions in the upper floors, caused presumably by the igniting of inflammable material, rent the air.

Spreading

Fire-fighters from the Army joined personnel of the State’s fire services in fighting the flames that licked the upper portions of the 14-storeyed Nandaram Market complex and spread to new areas at the rear of the building. The fire broke out around 1 a.m. on Saturday and engulfed the building and adjoining complexes. Nearly 2,000 shops, godowns and property worth several crore of rupees have been gutted.

Concerted efforts were being made to douse the flames, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, said. “What led to the fire and who might be responsible would be ascertained later,” he said

Expressing fears of portions of the affected building collapsing, Biman Bose, Secretary of the State Committee of the CPI(M), said the area was very dense, with several illegal constructions having come up there.

Local traders said a colleague, whose shop had been gutted, suffered a heart attack and died on way to the hospital in the morning. There were no reports of any death caused by the fire.

Water shortage

The intense heat generated within the cramped quarters housed inside the building and the thick smoke billowing from its interiors, affected fire-fighting operations.

Paucity of water supplies compounded the problem. Though more than 50 fire tenders were requisitioned, many could not be used owing to the non-availability of water.

Firemen from the Army, attired in special gear, made their way up the floors, accompanied by those of the fire brigade.

Many asked to vacate

There were fears of one flank of the building tilting and portions of it crumbling even as cracks appeared on the walls stained with soot. People from the neighbourhood were asked by the police to stay away from the site while those residing in adjacent buildings were instructed to vacate.