2 killed as fire razes 29 shanties in north Kolkata

Two persons died and 29 shanties were gutted when a major fire broke out in a slum on the northern fringes of Kolkata, on 17 December.

Sixteen fire tenders were pressed into service to control the blaze near Patipukur Railway tracks near Belgachhia. Charred bodies of Priya Adikary, 16, and Nimai Adhikary, 16, were recovered from the spot.

The cause of the fire, which was first noticed at around 3 am, is yet to be confirmed, officials said.

This is the second such incident in the area in a fortnight. On 8 December, a garment manufacturing unit was badly damaged, fire brigade officials said.

Eleven fire tenders extinguished the blaze near Minerva theatre at the 3,000 sq feet plot where garments were manufactured. Officials said there was no report of any injury or casualty in the incident.

--PTI