A massive fire broke out in West Bengal's Howrah late on Thursday night. As many as 18 fire tenders reached the spot and began to control the fire. The fire broke out in the Manglahat area of Howrah and gathered such intensity that all the shops burnt to ashes. According to sources, the fire broke out at around 1 am in the night and became uncontrollable in no time.
Howrah police station is just opposite to Mangalahat
Howrah's Divisional Fire Officer Ranjan Kumar Ghosh, who was present on the spot, said that at present 18 fire tender vehicles are present on the spot. No casualty has been reported so far. The operation is on and we will douse the fire soon. It is to e noted that the Howrah police station is right in front of the Mangalahat where the fire broke out. As soon as the fire was seen, the police immediately informed the fire department. First, 12 fire engines reached the spot one by one. After this, a total of 18 fire tender vehicles reached there and engaged in the work of extinguishing the fire on a war footing.
Fire spread over an area of about 5,000 square feet
It has been learned that the first fire broke out at around 1 am. The fire then spread quickly as the small shops were stocked with a large quantity of clothes and the structures of the shops were made of bamboo and wood. According to the fire department, the fire spread over an area of about 5,000 square feet. There are many buildings and shops of Mangalahat nearby and panic has spread in the entire area. Firefighters tried to control the fire by pouring water from all sides. Since Howrah Maidan is the heart of the city, panic spread throughout the area. A large number of police force and RAF have reached the spot.
Cause of fire not yet clear
The reason for the fire in Mangalahat is not yet clear. Detectives and Fire Brigade of Howrah City Police have started investigating the entire incident. At present, the fire has not been controlled. Fire personnel told that there is no problem in collecting water from there due to the Ganga river and the fire department headquarters in front.
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