150 shops gutted in Jalpaiguri blaze

People walk through the debris of the shops destroyed in the fire in Jalpaiguri on
Friday. Picture by Biplab Basak

TT, Jalpaiguri, May 8: A blaze that started from a cracker shop last night devoured over 150 business establishments in Jalpaiguri town's largest market whose narrow lanes prevented the entry of fire engines and delayed the operation to put out the flames.

The blaze at Dinbazar started around 11.30pm yesterday and was extinguished after seven hours by 12 fire engines brought from different locations. The market owned by private individuals had over 500 shops and 150 of them were reduced to ashes. Police sources said nobody had been injured in the incident.

"The flames were huge and spread fast. Over 150 shops have been completely destroyed and we fear that the total loss will be several crores of rupees. Most of the shops used to sell grocery, while others had garments and stationery items. Some stalls were selling firecrackers," said Santanu Bose, the joint secretary of the Jalpaiguri Byabsayee Samiti.

He said the fire had been first spotted in a cracker shop. "We have come to know that the fire broke out in a cracker shop. There is information that crackers were illegally stored in some of the shops, which aggravated the fire. Crackers worth around Rs 30 lakh were stored in the shops. The affected portion of Dinbazar has narrow roads and hence, fire engines couldn't enter," said Bose.

Mohan Bose, the outgoing chairman of the Jalpaiguri municipality, said the civic body had never given permission to store crackers in the market. "We have come to know that a considerable quantity of crackers was stored in some of the shops. The civic body has never given permission to stock crackers in such a manner. Those who were involved in it will have to face a probe," he said.

However, police and the fire brigade refused to say if any shop was selling crackers without permission.

Hundreds of traders who had shops at the market and the common people came out onto the streets as the blaze and consistent explosions of firecrackers lit up the sky.

Titu Agarwal, who had a stationery shop in Dinbazar, was among the traders who rushed to the spot. "I am the sole bread earner in my family. Now that my shop has been gutted in fire, I don't know how I will run my family," said Agarwal.

Plabon Adak, the officer in charge of Jalpaiguri fire station, said the narrow lanes at the market had slowed down the fire fighting. "It took a lot of time to douse the flames because of narrow lanes. As crackers and other inflammable items were stocked in the shops, the flames spread rapidly," Adak said.

The fire engines were parked outside the market and the officers used hoses to pour water on the burning buildings.

Mohan Bose said he had wanted to develop the market but the plan had faced opposition from traders. "When I was the civic chairman, I had time and again spoken to traders to develop the market in a proper manner with wide roads, proper drainage and water connection to ensure that any untoward incident didn't happen. It was unfortunate that a section of businessmen had opposed my plan. Shops kept on mushrooming in the market but nobody was bothered about it."

The police said the cause of the blaze was yet to be ascertained. "A complete investigation will be carried out to find out the cause of the fire. If anybody is found guilty, action will be taken against him," said A. Ravindranath, the Jalpaiguri district police chief.

North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb also visited the market and said Rs 10 lakh would be released immediately for the rehabilitation of affected traders. "We will build a modern complex in the affected area so that such incidents do not recur. I urge the business community to contribute for the construction of the complex," he added.