12 Kolkata: A major fire was reported at a confectionery shop in Queen's Mansion, a Grade I heritage building on Park Street, on Friday. The incident initially triggered panic among traders and residents, reviving memories of the fire at the adjoining Stephen Court 15 years ago. Like many prominent heritage buildings in the city, Queen's Mansion is owned by LIC.
The fire was reported around 12.40 pm, purportedly from a short circuit in an AC near the kitchen of Gupta Brothers (the Abar Khabo shoppe). The fire brigade deployed four fire tenders as black fumes engulfed the shop. The blaze was controlled in 30 minutes, but the cooling-off process ended only around 2.55 pm.
As fumes rose to the higher floors and adjoining shops, residents living in flats above, including senior citizens, were forced to evacuate. At least two offices, one of them a law firm where a dozen employees were working, were also cleared out.
The first to arrive at the spot were employees from adjoining shops who brought in extinguishers. In the absence of fire sprinklers, the employees at the confectionery shop removed the gas cylinders. But once the fire spread to the mezzanine floor, the situation escalated. Shakespeare Sarani cops said they will wait for the report from the fire brigade and the forensic team to determine what caused the fire.
All the six power supply points of the building were shut down by CESC even as Kolkata Police Disaster Management Group and QRT teams rushed in. Cops cleared the adjoining parking lot for fire tenders. A section of Park Street was cordoned off for effective fire fighting but traffic was never completely stopped from using the road. The fire caused extensive damage to the mezzanine and ground floors of the shop. Five power supply points of the building were unaffected and power was soon restored in these. The sixth point, close to the affected block, is yet to be restored. Authorities are checking if it is safe to switch it on. Three shops in the building are yet to get back power.
Seven families residing in three floors of the north-west block were evacuated for safety purposes for around an hour. Several residents said they were initially worried but were relieved once the fire brigade managed to control the flames. Among the residents is Iranian-Indian football legend Jamshid Nassiri. "The fire brigade came on time and managed well. My family and I are safe, and there was no panic in the end," he told TOI.
Bhaskar Ghosh (89), a retired eastern India head of an insurance firm, said: "I woke up from a nap and found thick smoke around me. I can hardly move, and my residence is on the second floor. I clutched a few documents and painfully made my way downstairs. Neighbours and DMG men helped me," he said.
Rehman Ali and Pradip Nath, both employees of adjoining shops, rushed in with extinguishers. "Such was the intensity of the flames that none could enter until the fire brigade arrived. They broke open a door on the mezzanine floor, after which they could arrest the fire," recalled Ali.
An LIC estate officer said they rented out the property to a gift shop, which was further sublet to Gupta Brothers. He claimed LIC had served several eviction notices to the original owner of Giggles. Giggles could not be contacted for their version of events.
The fire tender close to Stephen Court — where the main entry to Queen's Mansion is — drew water from their tank. LIC authorities said they themselves have overhead and underground tanks.