Two killed, scores of shops gutted in Bengal fire

Kolkata, Jan 22 (IANS) Two persons were killed when a major fire gutted scores of shops in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal early on Monday, fire brigade official said here.

The fire broke out in a two-storeyed shopping complex in Dumdum Cantonment’s Gora Bazar that houses nearly 400 shops. An official said more than 100 shops were affected.

"The fire broke out around 1.50 a.m. Two charred bodies have been recovered so far by firefighters. A few others sustained minor injuries. Firefighter Jiten Ghosh also suffered burn injuries on his hand," an official of the Barrackpore fire control room said.

As many as 21 fire tenders were used to douse the flames.

"The fire is under control. We are spraying water on charred shops for cooling. The process to damp down pocket fires is on," he said.