Fire in Kolkata's Rajabazar area doused after 2-hour operation

Traffic was diverted in the area and a part of it was cordoned off to facilitate fire fighting operations

A massive fire broke out in a cluster of shanties in the Rajabazar area in central Kolkata on Sunday and it was doused after a two-hour operation, fire brigade officials said.

No casualties were reported as people were alerted on time and moved to safer places, they said.

The officials said 12 fire tenders battled the flames that broke out around 2.10 pm in the Chaulpatti area. The fire was doused around 4:15 pm, they said.

Fire Services Minister Sujit Bose said the fire was first spotted in a room that contained combustible materials. The fire soon spread to hutments adjacent to the room, he said.

Fire fighters prevented the flames from spreading and the blaze was doused within two hours, Bose said.