Fire at Kolkata's Academy of Fine Arts

A fire broke out disrupting a play at the famed Academy of Fine Arts here Thursday evening. It triggered panic but no one was injured.

Smoke billowed out suddenly from the side screen on the stage in the auditorium, after the play "Sunya Sudhu Sunya noi", directed by Sumon Mukhopadhyay, began.

Two fire-tenders rushed to the spot, and doused the flame within a short time, a fire brigade official said.

Short circuit was suspected to be the cause.

Police said the audience was quickly evacuated after the fire started.

"There was panic among the spectators. There is only one exit. The play's background artistes, actors and technicians brought the situation under control and guided the spectators out," Mukhopadhyay said.