KOLKATA: Two persons died and 29 shanties gutted when a major fire broke out at a slum on the northern fringes of Kolkata early today. Sixteen fire tenders were pressed into service to control the blaze near Patipukur Railway tracks near Belgachhia. Barrackpore Fire Brigade officials said the fire was now "under control".
Charred bodies of Priya Adikary, 16, and Nimai Adhikary, 16, were recovered from the spot. The cause of the fire, which was first noticed at around 3 am, was yet to be ascertained, the officials said. In a second incident of fire in north Kolkata, a garment manufacturing unit was badly damaged, fire brigade officials said.
Eleven fire tenders extinguished the blaze near Minerva theatre at the 3,000 sq feet plot where garments were manufactured. Officials said there was no report of any injury or casualty in the second incident.