Police start investigating into Ezra Street fire, hint at negligence in safety norms
Telegraph | 19 November 2025
Police have launched an investigation into the fire that broke out early on Saturday morning at 26 Ezra Street, damaging an 186-year-old Parsi fire temple — the city’s first — along with over a hundred shops selling electrical goods and other items.
On Monday, the officer-in-charge of Lalbazar fire station submitted a complaint to Hare Street police station, alleging negligence in adhering to fire safety norms for high-rise buildings. Based on the complaint, a case has been registered. “A case under Sections 11J, 11L, and 26 of the West Bengal Fire Services Act has been recorded. A probe has started, and we will seek reports from forensic experts who visited the site,” a senior Kolkata Police officer said.
Section 11J of the Act sets penalties for violations of Chapter IIIA, which mandates fire prevention and safety measures in high-risk buildings. Section 11L designates certain offences as cognizable and non-bailable, allowing police to arrest without a warrant, while Section 26 deals with penalties for using warehouses or workshops without proper licences, officials said.
The fire reportedly began on the fifth floor of the building and spread up to the 12th floor. Narrow lanes and a mesh of overhead wires obstructed firefighters from accessing the blaze. Nearly 100 shops dealing in electrical goods were affected.