KOLKATA: Six persons, including two firefighters, were injured and hundreds left homeless in an early morning fire in a Kestopur slum near a heavily populated residential neighbourhood off VIP Road on Sunday.
While the two firefighters with burns on their hands and two slum dwellers were released from hospital after first aid, two persons are still extremely critical, said police.
According to police, the fire broke out around 2.45am at Shatarupa Pally, possibly from a furniture shop. Within minutes, it spread to nearby shops and homes. The residents rushed out of the shanties, leaving all their belongings behind.
“Almost all the slum dwellers were sleeping when the fire started spreading. My house has been reduced to ashes,” said Ratan Sarkar, one of the residents.
Fifteen fire tenders and two robots were pressed into service.
Fire minister Sujit Bose visited the place and arranged for emergency medication and temporary shelter for the homeless. “I have asked them to prepare a list of all the residents and their estimated losses,” he said.
