Massive fire destroys six plastic warehouses in Malda, locals blame delayed fire response

A massive fire broke out in a plastic warehouse in Sujapur, Malda district, early Sunday morning, destroying six warehouses and causing losses estimated at Rs 80 lakh. The blaze, which started around 3 AM, spread rapidly, engulfing nearby storage units before emergency responders could reach the scene.

Eyewitnesses said that local residents rushed to control the fire using whatever resources they had, but their efforts were in vain. The fire brigade arrived at around 5 AM—two hours after the fire broke out—by which time the damage was already done. Six warehouses had been reduced to ashes, leaving business owners devastated.

This is not the first time Sujapur has witnessed such a disaster. A similar fire broke out recently, causing significant financial losses to traders. Despite repeated incidents, the long-promised fire station in Kaliachak has yet to materialize. Public representatives had assured business owners that a fire station would be built in the area, but delays over land allocation have stalled progress.

Local business owners and residents have expressed their frustration, stating that the lack of a fire station in Kaliachak is directly responsible for the increasing financial losses. “If a fire station was operational in Kaliachak, the response time would have been much faster, and the damage could have been minimized,” said a local trader who lost goods worth lakhs in the fire.

Frequent fires in Sujapur have led to losses worth several crores in recent years. The community has repeatedly urged authorities to take swift action and set up a fire station in Kaliachak to prevent further devastation. However, officials continue to cite land acquisition issues as the reason for the delay.

As investigations into the cause of the fire continue, affected traders are calling for urgent intervention from the administration. With no fire station in place and recurring fire outbreaks, Sujapur’s business community fears that without proper infrastructure, such incidents will keep happening, leading to further financial ruin.