A devastating fire swept through the Sholo Bigha slum near Eastern Railway's Santoshpur station on Saturday, reducing around 50-60 shanties to ashes. The blaze was reported at 1:48 pm, and fortunately, no casualties or injuries have been reported so far.
Firefighting Efforts
At least six to eight fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the flames. The firefighting vehicles were parked on Budge Budge Road, causing a complete traffic standstill from around 2 pm. Fire officials worked tirelessly to bring the situation under control.
Cause of the Fire
According to preliminary reports, the fire is believed to have started from a cylinder blast in one of the hutments. A fire official stated that the flames spread rapidly from a kitchen in one of the shanties, engulfing the densely packed slum area.
Impact on Train Services
Rajeev Saxena, Divisional Railway Manager of Sealdah, confirmed that the fire melted the Overhead Equipment (OHE) cables, leading to a complete halt of train operations on the Sealdah-Budge Budge route. Services were suspended from Sealdah to Budge Budge, causing inconvenience to thousands of commuters.
Train services resumed partially at 9:40 pm between Budge Budge and Sealdah, and the stretch between Majerhat and Budge Budge was restored by 10:45 pm. Railway officials worked round the clock to repair the damaged infrastructure.
Traffic Disruption
The presence of multiple fire tenders on Budge Budge Road brought vehicular movement to a grinding halt for several hours. Commuters faced long delays as the road remained blocked for firefighting operations. Authorities advised alternate routes for those traveling in the area.
An investigation into the exact cause of the fire is underway. The local administration is assessing the damage and will provide necessary relief to the affected families.
