Fire breaks out at South Kolkata's Jodhpur Park market

A massive fire broke out in Kolkata on Wednesday afternoon, wreaking havoc in the crowded Paul Bazar area of Jodhpur Park. The blaze quickly turned destructive, engulfing several shops and causing widespread panic among traders and residents. The severity of the fire necessitated an immediate and significant response from the fire department, which dispatched multiple engines to the site to launch an intensive operation to prevent the flames from spreading further into the dense market area.

The fire was first reported around noon on Wednesday at the bustling market. Due to the highly combustible nature of materials typically stored in market stalls, the flames spread with alarming speed, quickly taking on a devastating form before the local authorities could be notified. Initial attempts by traders and bystanders to control the fire proved insufficient against the rapidly consuming blaze.

Upon receiving news of the incident, fire tenders from the Kolkata Fire and Emergency Services immediately rushed to the scene. Due to the narrow lanes and congested nature of the Jodhpur Park area, accessing the heart of the blaze proved challenging for the large fire engines, complicating the initial containment efforts.

However, the fire department launched a war-footing operation to bring the situation under control. Multiple fire tenders were deployed, with personnel working relentlessly to douse the roaring flames and rescue any valuable goods or equipment that could be salvaged from the market's interior.

By the time the fire engines were fully operational, the inferno had already consumed numerous shops within the Paul Bazar. The collective damage to the market has been extensive, with multiple commercial establishments reportedly burnt to ashes, causing heavy financial losses to the affected shop owners.

While the cause of the fire is yet to be definitively determined, investigators will examine whether it originated from an electrical short circuit or other causes.