One dead as fire engulfs shops on Diwali night

SNS, SILIGURI, 5 NOVEMBER 21: An employee of a hotel was charred to death and two others were seriously injured in a fire that broke out near the Siliguri Junction area in the wee hours today. Five shops were razed to the ground in the incident.

Local people said that a resident of Bihar, Rant Bahu, 65, was sleeping inside the eatery, which was allegedly locked from outside. The fire broke out at 1.30 am, while five fire engines rushed to the spot and brought the flames under control in one- and-a half hours, sources said.

Officers of the fire and emergency services said they had recovered the charred body and rescued two other injured persons. The department has started investigations, while the owner of the hotel is on the run, police said. Local people suspect that the fire was caused by earthen lamps at a tea stall lit on the occasion of Diwali. 

"A gas cylinder exploded at the stall and it helped the fire to spread to other shops quickly. Apart from the stall made of bamboo and wood, two hotels, a godown and a gents' parlour were caught in the flames," a local man said.

The death reminded people of an incident of fire in which two child labourers--under 14 years old were killed in an unauthorised roadside eatery in Siliguri on 27 April, 2016.

The hotel was also allegedly locked from outside while the boys slept inside then. The hotel, along with some other shops, was set up on high drains on Sevoke Road.

It is learnt that the shops that were affected today were located on railway land.

The chairperson of the hoard of administrators of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation, Gautam Deb, visited the site and talked to the affected persons today.