20160114 India Slum gutted by major fire in Taratala
India Jan 13 2016 “Houses”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 0 or unknown Injured : injured 0 or unknown
Slum gutted by major fire in Taratala
Updated: 2016-01-14-00:45
Railway services were disrupted for more than three hours after a major fire broke out in a slum on Taratala Road along the Brace Bridge railway station on Wednesday afternoon. The fire gutted around 150 thatched-roof dwellings.
According to the fire department 14 engines were pressed to action and it took nearly two hours for the fire fighters to douse the fire. More than 5000 people were left homeless because of the fire but no loss of life or injury were reported.
According to a fire department officer, around 3.30 pm the fire broke out from one of the shanties and it started spreading rapidly. Even though nine fire engines reached the spot within half an hour they were unable to contain it as the shanties were built with highly inflammable materials like tarpaulin, plastic. Within a short period the flames engulfed more than 75 percent of the dwellings. The fire brigade was, however, successful in saving 75 to 80 thatched huts.
“We had to face some problem because the fire was at a place where we couldn’t reach and so we had to take pipes over the railway tracks and for this railways services had to be suspendedThe shanties were so dark that we had to put in all efforts to find out whether there was anyone trapped inside or not. However we could use the huge lake beside the fire and there was no shortage of water and this has helped us to douse the flames quickly,” the officer said.
“Though nothing can be said for certain but initial investigation suggests that the fire broke out during cooking,” he added.
These makeshift shanties were all illegally constructed on Kolkata Port Trust land beside the third line of the Brace Bridge station. As the area is densely populated panic stricken people rushed to the railway tracks and the main road. As a result there was huge traffic jam on the very vital road that goes to Budge Budge from Taratala. Train services were suspended on Sealdah-Budge Budge route which was partially restored between Sealdah to Majherhat and Akra to Budeg Budge.
Firhad Hakim, state urban minister, said, reached the spot and promised rehabilitation. “We will give out blankets and dry food from today and arrange for rehabilitation.that all these people can be rehabilitated” Hakim said.
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