Fire destroys around 300 flower shops in Kolkata
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SPECIALCORRESPONDENT
About 300 shops in a flower market in Jagannath Ghat in Kolkata were gutted under massive fire that broke on Friday night. According unconfirmed sources, the fire broke out when a gas cylinder stored at a office in the market committee burst at around 8.30 pm.
The flames, which reached upto spectacular height, were a terrifying sight to behold. "There was a huge explosion and sudden flames. We all ran helter-skelter for our lives," an onlooker said.
Following the incident traffic was stopped at the Howrah Bridge and the entire north Kolkata suffered heavy traffic jams. Jagannath Ghat flower market is one of the two wholesale flower markets in Kolkata, the other one being at Mallikbazar in south Kolkata. Every day there are transactions of more than Rs 2 million at the Jagannath Ghat market.
The lights of the bridge have been shut off to stop the spread of fire. The firefighters are fighting to get the fire under control but no success had been reached till night 10 pm.
"We are trying our best to get the fire under control. The problem is the traffic congestion; the roads in Howrah are so blocked that we cannot even send out our water vans to fetch water," said divisional fire brigade in charge Bibhash Guha. The locals have been co-operating to get the fire under control, he added.
Notably, there was a fire in the adjoining betel leaf wholesale market 15 days ago in which about 10 shops were burnt.
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The flames, which reached upto spectacular height, were a terrifying sight to behold. "There was a huge explosion and sudden flames. We all ran helter-skelter for our lives," an onlooker said.
Following the incident traffic was stopped at the Howrah Bridge and the entire north Kolkata suffered heavy traffic jams. Jagannath Ghat flower market is one of the two wholesale flower markets in Kolkata, the other one being at Mallikbazar in south Kolkata. Every day there are transactions of more than Rs 2 million at the Jagannath Ghat market.
The lights of the bridge have been shut off to stop the spread of fire. The firefighters are fighting to get the fire under control but no success had been reached till night 10 pm.
"We are trying our best to get the fire under control. The problem is the traffic congestion; the roads in Howrah are so blocked that we cannot even send out our water vans to fetch water," said divisional fire brigade in charge Bibhash Guha. The locals have been co-operating to get the fire under control, he added.
Notably, there was a fire in the adjoining betel leaf wholesale market 15 days ago in which about 10 shops were burnt.
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