IN PICTURES | Kolkata: Fire breaks out at multi-storey building in Exide More

A massive fire broke out on the fourth floor of a multi-storey building in the Rabindra Sadan area of Central Kolkata on Friday morning. The roof of the building located near the Exide More collapsed because of the fire. It is being reported that a short-circuit in an AC machine at fashion designing institute located in the building is the cause of the fire around 9 am.

As many as eight fire tenders are at the site and the blaze in under control, Mayor of Kolkata Firhad Hakim said. No casaulty has been reported yet. Eyewitnesses said that they could see a think plume of smoke coming out of the building on Chowringhee Road. The smoke wafted through the air and spread over the densely populated area. People heltered and skeltered on the streets as the smoke spread.

The busy area in Central Kolkata houses many offices. Traffic was also disrupted on AJC Bose Road. The fire department officials said that all people in the building have been evacuated and no one is trapped. 

In January, a major fire had broken out at a five-storey building in southern Kolkata, gutting goods worth lakhs and destroying multiple shops next to the building. At least 19 fire tenders had been pressed into service to douse the fire at Traders Assembly building in Gariahat area after it was noticed around 1 am. The building houses a garment store on the ground and first floor and residential apartments on the floors above, the official told PTI. All families have been evacuated from the building and no one was injured in the fire, the official said, adding that some people had to be taken to hospital after they complained of breathing problems.