Kolkata, Sept. 13 -- Tension gripped Kamarhati after a massive fire broke out inside a multi-storey Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC) distribution building on BT Road on Sunday afternoon.
The incident led to the suspension of traffic movement along BT Road for more than an hour. The fire was brought under control after nearly six hours of relentless efforts by firefighters. No casualties or injuries were reported till the last reports came in.
According to sources, the blaze started around 1 pm following a suspected transformer explosion inside the complex. Within minutes, thick plumes of black smoke engulfed the building and were visible from several kilometres away. A few staff members who were inside the building managed to come out unhurt. Five fire engines were pressed into service shortly after the incident.
Firefighters battled the flames for hours, using a combination of water and specialised chemical foam to prevent the fire from spreading to the dense residential settlements and slums located directly behind the facility.
Local police immediately cordoned off the area, resulting in massive gridlock along BT Road. Vehicles were diverted through internal routes to facilitate emergency operations.
Senior fire department and CESC officials visited the site to assess the situation. A formal inquiry has been ordered to determine the exact technical glitch that triggered the explosion.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.