Fire breaks out at Santoshpur Station, 20-30 shops destroyed, train services disrupted

A fire broke out early Sunday morning at platform number 2 of Santoshpur railway station, gutting around 20-30 shops. The blaze started around 6 AM, quickly spreading through makeshift stalls. Firefighters arrived with three engines and brought the situation under control after nearly an hour and a half. No casualties were reported, but significant property damage occurred. Local shopkeepers suffered heavy losses as their goods and structures were completely destroyed.

According to eyewitnesses, the fire originated in one of the shops near the platform and rapidly engulfed adjacent stalls. Due to the early morning hours, there were very few people at the station. Local residents initially tried to douse the flames using buckets of water but failed to contain the spread. The fire brigade was alerted, and three engines were deployed to control the situation. Authorities are investigating the cause, with possibilities including short circuits or cooking-related accidents inside the makeshift shops.

Train services on the Sealdah-Budge Budge route were disrupted for nearly two hours due to the incident. Operations gradually resumed after fire personnel declared the area safe. Officials are assessing the extent of the damage, and a detailed report will follow after the investigation. Local shop owners are demanding compensation for their losses, while authorities are considering measures to prevent such incidents in the future.