A fire erupted at a 150-year-old building at Dhanyakuria near Basirhat in North 24-Parganas on Tuesday night, destroying several heritage artefacts.

The building, resembling a castle and named Gaine Castle, was part of a state government's tourism project aimed at preserving the historic architecture of Dhanyakuria village.

Residents of Dhanyakuria, located in the Basirhat-II administrative block, noticed the fire on the top floor of the "castle" set in the farmhouse known as Gaine Garden and rushed to contain it while calling up the fire brigade.

However, by the time firefighters from Deganga arrived, much of the British-era artefacts — including various sculptures dating back to the British period — had been damaged or destroyed. A part of the building has also been destroyed.

The entrance of Gaine's garden in Dhanyakuri village.

The cause of the fire has not yet been ascertained.

A member of the Gaine family, who once owned the property before it was taken over as a state heritage site, said he suspected foul play.

Manojit Gaine said there was no electric connection in the building, so there was no question of short-circuit.

"There was no electricity in the building and public entry was restricted. Hence, the nature of the fire suggests possible sabotage. Several precious sculptures and documents have been lost in the fire," he said.

In response to the incident, the district administration initiated an investigation.

A team from Matia police station visited the site, collecting samples for forensic analysis.

"We need to determine the cause and nature of the fire. The samples will be sent to a forensic laboratory," an official from Basirhat police district stated.

Police have also requested a report from the fire service department as part of the inquiry.

Dhanyakuria village is renowned for its unique architecture.

In the late 19th century, wealthy landlords in the village, inspired by European designs, constructed mansions that blended colonial and Indian architectural styles. Families like the Gaines and the Sawoos not only built these grand homes but also contributed to the welfare of the village by establishing schools, health clinics and libraries.

This particular property, built some 150 years ago by zamindar Mahendranath Gaine on a 33-acre estate along Taki Road, once housed an educational centre for women, which was later relocated to Banipur.

In pre-Independent India, it was also a popular destination for entertaining British traders.

Abandoned for years, the farmhouse was declared a heritage property by the Bengal government in 2022, with plans for a tourism project in Dhanyakuria.

Last December, a government team surveyed this property and others in the area to develop a tourism roadmap that included three heritage sites in the district — the Gaine Castle, the Dhanyakuria High School and the Dhanyakuria Hospital.

Manojit Gaine said the fire came as a shock. “Our family once owned this building, but now it belongs to the government. I appeal to the state government to thoroughly investigate the fire," he said.

Trinamool leader Mihir Ghosh said: “The fire destroyed several valuable artefacts, which could impact the state government’s tourism plans. We hope the police find out the cause of the fire."