Kolkata Ezra Street blaze: Around 300 shops destroyed, 20 fire tenders rushed to the spot.

A massive blaze destroyed close to 300 shops on Kolkata’s Ezra Street early Saturday, prompting the deployment of 20 fire tenders. All residents were evacuated in time, and no injuries were reported.

A massive blaze destroyed nearly 300 shops on Kolkata’s Ezra Street early Saturday. Fire officials believe the fire started due to a short circuit and quickly spread through electrical items, plywood, and other highly flammable materials stored inside the units.

According to an Indian Express report, twenty fire tenders were deployed to control the situation. Initially, only six engines were sent, but additional units were rushed in as the flames grew and thick black smoke reduced visibility.

A senior Fire and Emergency Services officer said, “We began with six engines, but as the fire expanded, more were brought in. The entire area was filled with dense black smoke, so a smoke extractor was used to help our team enter the buildings. There were plenty of combustible materials inside the shops. We suspect a short circuit sparked the fire, but for now our priority is to douse the flames. A detailed investigation will follow.”

The affected shops sold a mix of goods—from electrical items to perfumes—and several small storage units located in narrow lanes contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.

No casualties thanks to swift evacuation

“All buildings were evacuated, so there were no injuries,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Indira Mukherjee told reporters. Officials said residents of nearby buildings were moved out in time, preventing further danger. Firefighters also used a smoke-removal machine to create safe entry paths.

Police sealed surrounding roads to ensure smooth movement of emergency vehicles in the crowded commercial locality.

Safety concerns highlighted

Local councillor Santosh Pathak criticised civic authorities for ignoring repeated warnings about the area’s inadequate fire safety measures. “For 22 years I have written to the authorities and police about the poor safety conditions of the building, but nothing was done,” he told reporters.

Another fire reported last week

This incident follows a recent blaze at a godown on R N Mukherjee Road in central Kolkata. That building, which stored computers, motors, and car parts, also stood in a narrow alley within an old multi-storey structure just 200 metres from Lalbazar, the Kolkata Police Headquarters.