Officials of the state fire services department and the district police in Malda held a special inspection of the Durga Puja pandals across the town on Friday after a pandal was gutted in a blaze on Thursday evening.

They also apprised the Puja organisers about fire safety measures and trained volunteers of the clubs how to handle the situation in case of a fire on the Puja premises.

Late on Thursday evening, a fire broke out in the puja pandal of Amra Sobai Club in ward 2 of Malda town.

As the pandal was made of cotton, the fire spread easily and engulfed the pandal. The club members tried to douse the flames. Two fire engines reached the spot. The fire was controlled after some time but the pandal got totally damaged and even the idols got partially damaged.

District magistrate Nitin Singhania and Englishbazar municipality chairman Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury, reached the site to inspect the situation and assured club members of help.

On Friday, the club announced it would go ahead with the Puja, but in a low-key manner.

Taking serious note of the incident, teams of fire brigade and police started inspecting the puja venues on Friday and alerted the organisers and especially those who used inflammable items in large quantities to build pandals.

“All precautionary measures were taken to fight fire quickly and the puja organisers were alerted once again. Those who have used straw, cotton, wood and other similar substances in the pandals were asked to stay especially alert during the Puja days,” said a fire official.

The firefighting team of the department also gave quick training to volunteers of major Puja organisers.

“The aim of such a training was to keep them prepared to control the fire immediately. Along with our engines at the fire station, a special engine is ready in the heart of the town so that it can rush to a spot in case of an emergency,” he added.

Dulal Sarkar, an Englishbazar municipality councillor and the Mahananda Pally Sukanta Smriti Durga Puja Committee president, said training the volunteers was a good step. "They can act fast in case of emergency," Sarkar said.