Over 100 families living in shanties adjacent to EM Bypass in Topsia were left homeless on Friday afternoon as a fire ravaged the patch along the canal behind Forum Atmosphere.
Police said the fire was first spotted around 12.30pm when one of the shanties was up in flames.
Over the next few minutes, hutments caught fire one after another aided by dry winter winds.
Eighteen fire tenders battled the blaze on Dr BN Dey Road as residents struggled to salvage whatever they could.
No one was injured, the police said.
Residents rushed and pulled out the aged, women and children to safety. The younger ones joined hands to draw water from two drainage canals nearby to fight the flames as two fire tenders that initially reached the spot struggled to control the flames.
“My daughter’s marriage is scheduled for January 12. The pre-wedding ceremony was to be held on December 30. Everything, including the items we had gathered for the wedding, has been destroyed,” said one resident.
Another resident, Nazia Begum, said: “I was with my child when the fire broke
out. Some of the neighbours and seniors asked me to step out with my son immediately. Within minutes, everything was gone. All I could save is the garment I wore before moving out of the house.”
Some residents managed to pull out their beds, TV sets, refrigerators, garment racks, almirahs and bicycles. Many could not.
People joined hands to remove the items to an empty plot at the end of a dingy lane.
Firefighters said the spot of the fire — between two drainage canals — made it challenging to access it initially. The police barricaded a large stretch of the area to prevent vehicles from moving down the road and help fire tenders reach the spot at the earliest.
Several residents of the affected shanties alleged that fire tenders reached late and wondered why enough tenders were not sent initially.
“Two tenders reached the spot immediately. Others had to be brought from various fire stations. It can take a few minutes for all the tenders to reach the spot. But those affected can always feel that they should have come earlier,” said fire and emergency services minister Sujit Bose.
He was accompanied by cabinet colleague Javed Ahmed Khan, the minister in charge of disaster management.
“It’s not clear how the fire started. That will emerge over time,” Bose said.
Several residents said an LPG cylinder explosion probably triggered the blaze. Some said they heard explosions as the fire spread, suggesting more LPG cylinders going off.
Khan said the homeless would be rehabilitated locally.
“The houses of over 100 residents were burnt in the fire. There are community centres and schools in the locality where arrangements are being made to accommodate the homeless temporarily,” Khan said. “We will rebuild the houses.”