Image Source: Salar News
Early on Monday, June 16, 2025, a ferocious fire razed Kolkata's century-old Khidderpore Market, gutting more than 1,300 shops and leaving hundreds of traders shocked. The fire, which broke out a little after 1 AM, soon spread through the crowded marketplace, helped along by inflammable goods and an oil godown within the complex. Though 20 fire tenders were immediately despatched to the spot, the fire fighters struggled for hours to douse the flames, with pockets of fire still smoldering in the morning.
Merchants in the area reported poor water supply and delayed response in fire trucks, which they say aggravated the damage. But State Fire Services Minister Sujit Bose rejected these claims, alleging fire tenders came from several places and some of the merchants were careless as far as fire safety norms were concerned.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had inspected the site immediately after the fire was put out. She urged people to stay away from the site till the fire brigade has completed its task and announced the full-fledged re-habilitation scheme. This entails monetary relief of ₹1 lakh to traders whose shops were totally gutted and ₹50,000 to those partially gutted. She also asked the Mayor to take charge of the re-construction of the market with new, scientific layouts and proper fire safety features to avoid recurrence of such tragedies. Temporary shifting arrangements for affected traders are being worked out to maintain continuity of business till the re-construction.
The cause of the fire is yet to be known, and a comprehensive survey will be conducted to ascertain the level of damage. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties since the fire occurred when the market was almost empty.
Key Highlights:
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It occurred around 1 AM and destroyed over 1,300 shops at Kolkata's Khidderpore Market.
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Fire spread rapidly due to combustible materials and the availability of oil warehouses.
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20 fire trucks dispatched; fire fighting obstructed by "pocket fires" and congested market layout.
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Traders are protesting against delayed fire tender arrivals and low engine water levels; officials counter these allegations.
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There were no casualties; fire occurred in early hours when the market was unoccupied.
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CM Mamata Banerjee announced ₹1 lakh compensation for shops totally gutted and ₹50,000 for partially gutted ones.
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Government to revamp market with new fire safety standards; temporary relocation to be facilitated.
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Continuous investigation and damage assessment to identify beneficiaries and source of fire.
The fire disaster has highlighted the necessity for more fire precautions in the crowded markets of Kolkata and the necessity of immediate response to emergency cases in order to prevent such huge losses in the future.
Source: ABP Live, The Telegraph India, Mathrubhumi, Mangalorean, Vygr News
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