Fire breaks out in Howrah's Dhulagarh bus stand, multiple vehicles burned

A devastating fire broke out on National Highway 16 near the Dhulagarh bus stand in Howrah on Friday night, creating a scene of absolute chaos and panic. The blaze reportedly started around 9:30 PM in a lorry loaded with chemicals that was parked near a petrol pump. Due to the highly inflammable nature of the chemicals, the fire spread with ferocious speed, engulfing a nearby stationary bus and several other smaller vehicles within minutes.

The intensity of the flames was so high that a section of the highway itself seemed to be under a blanket of fire. Local residents and passersby ran for safety as thick black smoke billowed into the night sky. The proximity of the fire to a petrol pump added to the gravity of the situation, prompting local police to immediately cordoned off the entire area to prevent a much larger disaster.

Upon receiving the alert, five fire engines from the Howrah fire station rushed to the spot and began operations on a war footing. However, the presence of chemicals made the firefighting task extremely difficult, with flames spreading rapidly due to the wind. Senior officials from the Howrah City Police, along with personnel from the Sankrail Police Station, reached the site to manage the crowd and divert traffic, which had come to a complete standstill on the busy highway.