Fire breaks out at Burrabazar's Banstalla due to short circuit

A minor fire broke out in the dense commercial hub of Banstalla in North Kolkata's Burrabazar area on Friday morning around 10:00 am, triggering brief panic among local traders and residents. The incident occurred on Sir Hariram Goenka Street when sparks were suddenly spotted inside an electric meter box located within the compound. Onlookers immediately noticed smoke billow out from the main grid panel, which quickly escalated into open flames due to a short circuit in the internal wiring.

Realizing the extreme danger of a fire spreading in one of Asia's most congested wholesale markets, local shop owners and residents acted immediately to isolate the area and alert both the fire department and emergency utility services. However, witnesses reported that the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC) response team arrived late to the scene. Locals claimed that this delay allowed the electrical fire to quickly expand along the connected fuse lines before localized containment could be established.

To prevent a major disaster, two fire engines were rushed to the bustling site by the West Bengal Fire and Emergency Services. Firefighters quickly managed to cut off power lines and douse the source of the short circuit, bringing the situation under complete control. Fortunately, despite the initial delay and rapid propagation of smoke through the narrow alleyway, no major injuries or casualties were reported from the scene.