A fire that broke out in a plastic goods godown in a congested Burrabazar neighbourhood early on Monday spread to adjoining residential buildings.
Prompt action from residents in the area and 16 fire tenders helped evacuate the affected buildings and rescue residents who had climbed to their terraces out of fear.
A fireman said the godown off Rabindra Sarani was stacked with inflammable goods, which helped spread the flames.
The fire was reported around 4.40am.
Residents of the area started rescue work before fire department personnel and police reached. As the flames engulfed the staircases of adjoining buildings, the residents ran up to their terraces.
“We ensured that all the elderly people were shifted to the terrace so they did not choke in the smoke,” said a resident.
The police said no one was trapped or injured.
The fire, however, was another pointer to the vulnerability of residents in pockets of central Calcutta where fire safety norms are almost non-existent.
Asked how a plastic goods godown could be located in the middle of a residential neighbourhood surrounded by highrise buildings, the Trinamool Congress councillor of Ward 42, Mahesh Sharma, claimed helplessness andput the blame on his predecessor, a councillor who was from BJP.
“This is the problemwith the Burrabazar area. The roads and lanes are congested. All these illegal constructions (referring to the plasticgoods godown) are veryold. The earlier councillor allowed these things tohappen. I have been elected only two years ago,” Sharma said.
Calcutta Mayor Firhad Hakim and state fire minister Sujit Bose visited the spot later on Monday.
“The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation will take care if anyone has been rendered homeless,” Hakim said.
Bose said the fire was “under control” and the primary work of the fire department was to extinguish the flames and ensure the safety of all the people in the neighbourhood.
“The priority is to ensure the safety and security of all the people and to see that everyone is rescued. Therest can be checked later,” Bose said when asked if the godown had the requisite fire permits.
Former Trinamul leader Tapas Roy, now the BJP candidate from the Calcutta North Lok Sabha seat, also visited the spot.