Two persons including a teenager were killed and hundreds were turned homeless in an fire which broke out early morning on Saturday at a slum adjoining railway tracks in Patipukur area Kolkata. The deceased have been identified as 15-year-old Priya Adhikari and 27-year-old Nemai Adhikari.
Fire broke out at about 2 a.m. in the morning, locals said. They also claimed that a loud explosion occurred possibility due to gas cylinder blast. 16 fire tenders and personnel of disaster management group were pressed into service and fire was brought under control after few hours.
Several shanties were destroyed and people took refuge on the railway lines. Arrangements have been made to provide shelter to the people in two local schools.
A woman sifts through the remains of her house gutted in the fire
