🔥 Catastrophe at Khidirpur Bazaar: A Community in Ashes
Date: June 16, 2025 Location: Khidirpur (Kidderpore), Kolkata, West Bengal The Blaze In the early hours of June 16, around 1–2 AM , a massive fire erupted in the heart of Kolkata’s Khidirpur marketplace, swiftly engulfing scores of shops. Officials say more than 1,300 stalls were consumed by the flames . While later estimates from video sources suggest at least 400 shops were gutted , eyewitnesses and authorities largely agree the devastation was enormous. Firefighting Efforts 20 fire tenders were dispatched swiftly from stations including Watganj and Garden Reach. Firefighters faced a critical challenge: locating and dousing dozens of “hidden pockets” of fire within the dense, maze-like marketplace . They resorted to pumping water directly from the Ganges when initial tenders reportedly arrived under-equipped . By midday, firefighters largely contained the inferno, though residual smoldering hotspots remained. Casualties & Damage Miraculously, no casualties have ...