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Fire Breaks Out at Sealdah Station Food Plaza; No Casualties Reported
NEWS DESK | KOLKATA
A major fire broke out at a food plaza outside the busy Sealdah railway station in Kolkata on Monday morning, causing panic during peak commuting hours. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries have been reported so far.
The fire was reported at around 9:15 AM near the taxi stand outside the station’s South section. Thick black smoke quickly engulfed the area as the flames spread across multiple stalls inside the food court, which was constructed by converting an old train coach.
Three fire engines, alongside officials from the Kolkata Police and Railway Protection Force (RPF), rushed to the scene. Firefighters faced early hurdles, stating that the food plaza’s own fire suppression system failed to function and adequate water was unavailable from the station. To control the blaze, personnel wearing specialized oxygen masks broke glass panels to release the trapped smoke and carefully removed commercial gas cylinders from the site. Firefighters successfully prevented the flames from spreading toward the adjacent railway hospital.
While the exact cause is under investigation, a short circuit is suspected. This incident has raised serious questions regarding safety compliance, as a similar fire had occurred at the exact same food court just a few months ago.
