Kolkata - A major portion of the Kolkata's age-old Hatibagan market was gutted in a devastating blaze which started in the early hours Thursday. No casualties have been reported.
"More than 80 percent of the market has been destroyed in the fire. Thirty fire tenders were pressed into service and the fire is now under control. So far there are no reports of any casualty," Fire Services and Disaster Management Minister Javed Khan told IANS.
A probe has been ordered and a forensic team is slated to visit the place Friday, added Khan.
Some of the owners whose shops were completely gutted smelt sabotage.
"Promoters have been eyeing the market for long to set up shopping malls here. Who knows may be the fire was caused by them to get the area on which our shops were located," said one the shopkeepers. His allegation was echoed by many others.
The fire was first noticed at 2.30 a.m. Thursday, which spread rapidly to engulf large part of the market situated in the north of the city.
Disaster management group and Rapid Action Force personnel are at the spot. Top police officials, including Commissioner of Kolkata Police R. K. Pachnanda and Deputy Commissioner (North) Vishal Garg were also present.
"This market set up in 1945 is a bit unplanned like any other old market of Kolkata. It seems the electrical wiring and other such things have not been taken care of properly over the years," City Mayor Sovan Chattopadhaya said.
This is the third major fire incident in Bengal in the last two days. At least four people were injured in fire at two hospitals Wednesday.
In December last year, a pre-dawn blaze at Kolkata's AMRI hospital left over 94 people dead. Most of them were patients who choked to death due to toxic smoke.
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