Fire at Kolkata's Acropolis Mall, several feared trapped
What's the story
A fire erupted at the food court on the fifth floor of Acropolis Mall in Kolkata on Friday afternoon around 12.40 pm. According to reports, several people are feared trapped inside the building. At least 15 fire tenders were dispatched within 50 minutes to control the flames. This is the second such incident in the city this week, following a fire at a closed restaurant in Park Centre building on Camac Street.
Rescue efforts
Evacuation of mall visitors
The mall's visitors are being promptly evacuated. However, firefighters faced difficulty in reaching the origin of the fire due to poor visibility because of a thick blanket of smoke in the premises. An official stated, "Visibility inside the building is poor given the thick cover of smoke inside." To improve conditions, firefighters broke glass window panes to release smoke after electricity was cut off for safety reasons.
Ongoing operations
Firefighting operations continue
Firefighting operations are still in progress, with some firefighters entering the smoke-filled building wearing oxygen masks. "As of now, there is no report of any injury," an official informed news agency PTI. Fire services officials also reported difficulty accessing the building as the fire exit was blocked with garbage.
Aftermath
Source of fire still unknown
Following the fire incident, traffic movement in front of Acropolis Mall has been regulated due to the area being engulfed in smoke. The source of the fire remains unknown. Speculations suggest that it may have originated from the mall's food court, but official confirmation is yet to be received. Further investigation is underway, police said.