On Holi afternoon, Wednesday, fires broke out in a series of shops in the area adjacent to Madhyamgram station. The sound of cooking gas cylinders exploding was heard repeatedly. Multiple shops, including sweet shops, caught fire. Residents began running in panic. Four fire engines are still at the scene. A large team from Madhyamgram police station is present at the incident site.

It was Holi afternoon, and large crowds had gathered at various shops. Eyewitnesses said, “The fire first broke out at a sweet shop. It then began spreading to the shops nearby.”

“All the food shops in the vicinity are now burning. Cylinders are also exploding. It is difficult to understand how this happened. Eight to ten shops have caught fire in succession. It seems all of them will face losses,” the eyewitnesses added.

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Cylinders burst one after another

Since several food shops were located in the area, gas cylinders began bursting one after another, creating a deafening sound. Residents ran screaming in fear as the fire spread rapidly across the row of shops.

Local councillor and Deputy Mayor of Madhyamgram Municipality, Prakash Raha, also arrived at the spot.

Questions raised over shops near station

A section of residents alleged that questions remain about how these shops were allowed to operate in the station-adjacent area.

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Responding to the allegations, Councillor Prakash Raha said, “If we start questioning why and how these shops came up, questions will also be raised about us. I do not deny that. However, the fire started in the food shops here. Cylinders exploded, and that is how the incident occurred.”

Police officials, including the SDPO of Barasat and the DSP (Traffic), also reached the scene to oversee the situation.