Kolkata, A senior fire department official has been suspended in connection with the devastating fire at a leather factory in Kolkata’s Tiljala area that claimed two lives, even as civic authorities continued demolishing the illegal structure housing the unit on Thursday, an officer said.
The West Bengal Fire and Emergency Services Department suspended Gautam Das, station officer-in-charge of Pragati Maidan Fire Station, on charges of gross negligence and lack of supervision during the firefighting operation, he said.
In a notification by the Director General of Fire and Emergency Services, the department said disciplinary action was initiated after preliminary findings pointed to lapses in the handling of the incident.
“The department has taken the matter very seriously. Any negligence in emergency response duties will invite strict action,” a senior fire services official said.
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The blaze broke out on Tuesday afternoon at a leather factory in the densely populated pocket of Tiljala, triggering panic in the locality amid fears that the flames could spread rapidly to neighbouring structures.
Two persons died in the incident, while three others are undergoing treatment at a hospital.
Police have arrested factory owners Sheikh Nasir and Shamim Mohammad.
Investigators said the factory was operating illegally and did not possess an approved building plan.
Although several fire tenders were deployed, officials later found multiple shortcomings in the firefighting operations, sources said.
Meanwhile, the demolition work at the multi-storeyed structure, which began on Wednesday, continued on Thursday amid heavy deployment of both Kolkata Police and central forces.
Heavy machinery, including excavators, reached the site, and civic workers started dismantling portions of the structure.
An ISF delegation led by MLA Nawshad Siddiqui visited the Tiljala area on Thursday evening but was stopped by central security personnel metres away from the demolition site.
Incidentally, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari directed officials to identify similar unauthorised constructions across the city, especially in areas like Kasba, Tiljala, Mominpur and Ekbalpur, asking authorities to disconnect electricity and water supply to illegal structures.
Civic authorities on Thursday razed a clock tower near Mitali Sangha ground in Garia.
Municipal workers, assisted by central forces, carried out the demolition operation amid tight security arrangements.
The clock tower was constructed in 2023, and residents claimed that former state minister Aroop Biswas had taken a special interest in the project.
According to locals, the structure had allegedly come up despite objections over encroachment and violations of civic norms.
“The matter had reached the Calcutta High Court earlier, which had directed the removal of the illegal construction. However, the order was not implemented at that time,” a senior Kolkata Municipal Corporation official said.
The official added that the current administration was “acting strictly in accordance with court directives and urban planning regulations”.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
