Several shanties gutted in blaze near Kolkata

Several shanties were gutted after a fire broke out in a slum area at Dum Dum on the outskirts of Kolkata on Saturday.

Although the exact number of shanties that were gutted in the blaze is not known yet, fire officials’ initial findings put it between 40 and 50.

Several fire tenders were pressed into service following the blaze, which brought the fire under control after almost four hours. No loss of life has been reported so far.

Saugata Roy, the sitting Trinamool Congress MP from Dum Dum, rushed to the spot after the news of the blaze spread and remained there till the fire was doused completely.

“Although there is no report of any casualty, several persons have been rendered homeless as their shanties were completely gutted,” Roy said.

State Fire and Emergency Services Minister Sujit Bose, who also reached the spot, said the homeless persons will be sheltered at a local community centre for the time being.

“We will arrange for their proper rehabilitation later. The exact reason for the fire will be known after we get the forensic reports,” Bose said.