A major fire broke out near the railway tracks close to Santoshpur station in West Bengal's Maheshtala area on Saturday. The blaze engulfed an old slum settlement spread across nearly 16 bighas. The visuals of the incident showed thick columns of black smoke blanketing the surroundings.
Following the incident, operations on the Sealdah–Budge Budge route were halted for a period as a precaution. Officials confirmed that train movement was temporarily suspended to prevent any risk to passengers and railway infrastructure.
Firefighters battle the flames
Four fire tenders reached the spot and began efforts to contain the blaze. Fire officials said the congested layout of the shanties made the task challenging. Emergency teams continued working to prevent the flames from spreading to nearby residential pockets.
Area chokes under dense smoke
Locals reported that visibility dropped sharply as the fire intensified. Many residents evacuated the area, while others attempted to salvage belongings from the burning settlement. Authorities urged people to stay away from the site until the smoke cleared.
Fire engulfs warehouses in South 24 Parganas
Earlier this year, at least seven people were killed in a fire that broke out at two adjoining warehouses in Najirabad area of South 24 Parganas district. The blaze, which occurred under the jurisdiction of Narendrapur police station, was finally brought under control after a seven-hour operation, a senior police official said.
While authorities initially confirmed six missing persons, relatives of the trapped individuals claimed the toll could be higher, noting that adjacent godowns accommodated labourers employed by a decorating company and a popular momo chain. Baruipur Police District SP Shubhendu Kumar said the identities of the deceased could not yet be confirmed, as the bodies were badly burnt. Several people were reported to be missing, Kumar added.
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