Fire in Kolkata high rise, trapped persons rescued

A major fire broke out this morning in the 24-floor iconic Chatterjee International Building in the heart of the city with fire personnel rescuing those trapped inside the high rise which houses many commercial establishments.
The fire is yet to be doused and 20 fire tenders have been rushed to the spot.
"Four persons who were trapped inside have been rescued using a ladder and they have sent to hospital for treatment for smoke-related complaints," West Bengal Fire Services Minister Javed Khan told news persons here.
"No one else is trapped inside the building," he told reporters while supervising fire tending operations at the building situated at the crossing of Park Street and Jawaharlal Nehru Road here.

Some people who were in the second and third floors of the building were also evacuated, he said.
The fire broke out between the 12th and 15th floors of the building and around 20 fire tenders and two hydraulic ladders have been pressed into service to bring the blaze under control, fire services control room said.

He said fire services and disaster management group personnel reacted very quickly and was thus able to contain the spread of the blaze.
Khan said that it was only after the fire is doused that the cause of the blaze in the building, which houses many offices and business establishments, can be ascertained.

The area has been cordoned off to conduct the operations.
With the fire breaking out just before the office hours and several major thoroughfares closed due to fire tending operations, huge traffic snarls were caused inconveniencing office-goers.