Fire in housing complex forces residents to evacuate homes

Residents of a housing complex with 156 flats in south-west Kolkata had a narrow escape as a fire broke out in one of the buildings during the wee hours today as people were fast asleep.
Two fire tenders were rushed to the spot, which controlled the situation and helped in evacuation of the panicked residents, a fire brigade official of South 24 Parganas Fire Station said.
"The reason of fire is apparently short circuit. We reached the spot at 2.50 AM and by 4 AM the fire was under control," the fire brigade official said.
The fire started from the electrical metre box compartment on the ground floor of block 1 of the complex at around 2 AM and started spreading fast with thick smoke billowing out, Arun Maity, caretaker of Merlin Emerald Housing Complex under Sarsuna Police Station, said.

The housing complex has ten four-storied blocks, all interconnected.
Seven families in the charred block were most affected including this PTI correspondent, who lives on the fourth floor as he had to evacuate his ailing 76-year-old bed-ridden father, his five-year-old son along with his mother and wife.

Recounting the horror, this correspondent said "It was pitch dark and the entire house was covered in thick suffocating smoke when I woke up in pain. There were loud cries outside asking for help.
"It was like a furnace outside and with my ailing father and child in arms, it seemed a mile to carry them to the terrace. With fresh air, we got a new life. Thankfully all blocks are interconnected, so we could exit from the furthest tower," he said.

The residents of second and third floor of the charred block suffered the worst as they were nearly asphyxiated in the thick smoke before the fire brigade officials rushed in to evacuate them on time.
"We have inspected the spot and a complaint has been registered. It could have been a major disaster, but fortunately it's under control," Officer In-charge of Sarsuna Police Station Supriyo Bhattacharjee said.
CESC MD, Aniruddha Basu said the fire could have been caused by some internal problems and a team has been sent to restore supply to the complex and check the power supply lines.