Shops gutted in fire at iconic New Market in Kolkata

Kolkata: A fire broke out on Monday afternoon in parts of the busy New Market area in the city. Around 20 fire engines doused the blaze, an official said here.

According to witnesses, thick smoke engulfed the entire area.

"The fire was of a massive scale and it engulfed a large portion of the marketplace," a shopkeeper said.

"As soon as we got to know of the fire in the afternoon, we pressed into action. The fire has been brought under control... No casualties or injuries have been reported so far," a fire department official said.

He said 20 fire engines were used to douse the flames at the historic market in the city.

The fish and potato markets were the worst hit in the fire. The state's disaster management cell was assisting in controlling the fire, according to officials.

"We had all the required equipment to control the fire. However, we need to see if internal systems (fire control equipments) were also there at the incident area. If needed, we'll probe into this matter," the fire official said.

Last month, a fire broke out in a shopping complex near New Market.