Fire breaks out at high-rise office building in Kolkata's Park Street

A fire broke out in the fifth floor of a high-rise office building in the posh Park Street on Monday, a Fire Brigade official said.

No one was injured in the fire which broke out at about 11.10 am in the eight-storey building called Apeejay House, he said.

The building is located in the Park Street which is the city's foremost dining district, with many restaurants, pubs and offices located in the area.

At least 10 fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames that started in an office in the fifth floor of the building. The fire was brought under control at about 1.00 pm, the official said.

The fire department brought in hydraulic ladder and other equipments to fight the blaze. Disaster management personnel and a large number of policemen were also deployed.

Police said that people were evacuated safely from the building, which houses offices of several companies and is also the headquarters of Apeejay Surendra Group.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, they said.

Due to the fire, vehicular movement was regulated in and around the Park Street and traffic was affected in the southern areas of the metropolis.

In March, 2010, a devastating fire at Stephen Court', near Apeejay House, claimed 43 lives.