Bengal: Massive Fire Erupts At Govt Building In Kolkata

A massive blaze erupted at a multi-storey government building in the Alipore area of Kolkata on Wednesday morning, fire officials said. One person trapped on the top floor of the eight-storey building, which serves as the South 24 Parganas district administrative office, was rescued by firefighters. Ten fire tenders were engaged in the operation to battle the blaze, which was reported around 9.50 am. Although the blaze was largely contained, pockets of fire remained, the officials said. Fire officials said the blaze originated on the third floor and spread to the fourth floor, while thick smoke billowed from several floors. Flames and smoke were seen gushing out of windows, and loud thuds were heard from inside the structure during the firefighting operation. Parts of air-conditioners also fell off the building, they said. Heavy smoke accumulation, caused by the presence of paper and wooden materials inside the offices, hampered firefighting efforts. Fire personnel initially faced difficulties entering the building through the staircase and were using hose pipes to spray water from outside before moving into the structure. Read more