Kolkata, 26 December (H.S.): A major fire broke out in Garden Reach area of South Kolkata on Thursday night, gutting several shanties. The incident, which occurred on Christmas Day, caused panic in the area. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.

The fire erupted in a garbage dump area of Garden Reach, a densely populated locality with a large number of shanties and temporary structures. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined.

According to fire department sources, seven fire tenders were rushed to the spot immediately after receiving the information. Firefighters worked tirelessly to bring the blaze under control and prevent it from spreading to surrounding areas.

The police said that the area where the fire broke out consisted of numerous small shanties. Most of these shanties were completely destroyed in the incident. The extent of the damage is still being assessed.

Officials said that the fire may have been caused by a short circuit or a gas cylinder explosion. However, this can only be confirmed after a detailed investigation and on-site inspection. A senior Kolkata Police officer said that a short circuit is suspected as the primary cause, but the final reason will be clear only after the investigation is complete.

Notably, last week, a major fire also broke out in a slum near Eco Park in New Town, requiring 20 fire tenders to bring it under control. Another fire incident was reported at an oxygen cylinder factory in Kankurgachi area of North Kolkata, where several cylinders exploded one after another.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey