Kamal Kumar Biswas.TOD.Patiram
A devastating fire broke out at Paul Market in Patiram, near the bus stand serving the Kumarganj route, between late Saturday night and the early hours of Sunday, destroying three shops and damaging equipment at a pathological laboratory on the floor above.The fire is believed to have started between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. at a wholesale shop selling stationery and toys, owned by local trader Kajal Haldar, according to residents. The flames quickly spread to a neighboring shop of similar goods, reportedly owned by his brother, Kamal Haldar.
The intense heat and flames also damaged the stock of a nearby shop owned by Raju Mahanta, which sold pan(betel), bidis, cigarettes and other valuable items. The fire reportedly entered the shop through the gap beneath its closed shutter.Local residents suspect that a short circuit may have caused the blaze, but the exact cause has yet to be established.The preliminary loss to the three shops on the ground floor has been estimated at around ₹15 lakh, according to an initial assessment. The two wholesale stationery and toy shops suffered the heaviest damage, with virtually all their goods destroyed.
The flames also reached the pathological laboratory operated by Parimal Paul on the floor above. Two air-conditioners, furniture and other equipment at one end of the laboratory were damaged. However, much of the laboratory’s equipment was kept at the opposite end of the building and escaped damage.
The destruction has dealt a particularly severe blow to Kajal and Kamal Haldar, who had stocked large quantities of stationery and toys ahead of the upcoming Puja season. Shopkeepers from surrounding areas regularly purchased goods from their wholesale outlets.Two fire engines from the Patiram fire station were dispatched to the scene and brought the blaze under control. The incident caused widespread alarm in the area, and residents gathered at the market from Sunday morning to inspect the damaged shops.Civic volunteers have been deployed at the site since dawn to assist with maintaining order and managing the situation.
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