Kolkata, Sep 1 (IANS) A major fire broke out at a commercial complex in Panagarh in West Bengal’s West Burdwan district on Tuesday, gutting an electric scooter showroom and all the vehicles inside.

There were no reports of casualties or injuries because of the fire. However, officials and Fire Services Department personnel present at the spot said final confirmation would be made after the fire was extinguished and the cooling process completed.

The fire broke out after 7.30 a.m. in the building, and the source was the electric scooter showroom on the ground floor of the three-storey commercial complex. The second floor of the same building houses a kids’ school. The complex is located at Darjeeling Crossing in Panagarh, which is also an important base of the Indian Army.

“Fortunately, the fire broke out at a time when the kids’ school was closed. Otherwise, the situation could have been worse. No significant damage was reported on the upper floors of the building so far,” said the State Fire Services Department official present at the spot.

The entire area was covered by thick smoke, causing panic among locals. It was the locals who informed the fire service station.

The fire tenders immediately reached the spot and started extinguishing the fire on a war-footing.

As per the last information available, although the fire is almost under control, the entire showroom and the electric scooters parked inside have been completely gutted. The exact financial loss because of this fire is yet to be ascertained.

“The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. The matter will be known after investigation. However, after the initial investigation, it is estimated that the fire broke out due to a short circuit,” said a fire services department official.

Last month, there were two major fire incidents in West Bengal, taking a toll of 18 lives, nine in each case. The first incident was at a hotel at Tarapith in Birbhum district and the second at a hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street in Central Kolkata.

On Monday, a fire broke out at a food stall within the busy Sealdah Station premises in central Kolkata. However, no casualty was reported.

–IANS

src/dpb