A significant fire erupted in the Sholo Bigha slum adjacent to Eastern Railway's Santoshpur station in Kolkata on Saturday at 1:48 PM. The blaze rapidly engulfed approximately 50 to 60 makeshift shanties located near the railway station, reducing them to ashes.
No Casualties Reported
Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident. Firefighters acted swiftly to contain the flames, preventing any loss of life.
Traffic and Train Services Disrupted
The firefighting operation caused a major traffic jam on Budge Budge Road from around 2 PM, as six to eight fire tenders were stationed on the main road. The intense heat melted the overhead equipment (OHE) cables, leading to a halt in train services on the Sealdah-Budge Budge route. Rajeev Saxena, Divisional Railway Manager of Sealdah, stated, We were informed of a cylinder blast. The fire damaged the OHE cables, forcing us to suspend train operations.
Restoration of Services
Train services resumed gradually: the Budge Budge to Sealdah line was restored at 9:40 PM, followed by the Majerhat to Budge Budge section at 10:45 PM.
Cause of the Fire
A fire official indicated that the blaze originated from a kitchen in one of the hutments, possibly due to a cylinder blast, as suggested by railway authorities.
