Massive fire at CESC facility in Panihati, transformer blast suspected

A massive blaze engulfed a Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC) facility near Dhankal More in Panihati, North 24 Parganas district on Sunday afternoon. Initial suspicions point to a transformer explosion inside the building as the likely cause of the fire. No injuries have been reported thus far. The flames quickly engulfed the CESC premises, pumping dense smoke into the nearby area.

Neighbors reported that several makeshift homes in front of the CESC facility also succumbed to the flames. An auto-rickshaw parked outside the facility met a similar fate, completely destroyed by the inferno. Nine fire engines were dispatched to the scene. Initially, firefighters fought the blaze from the exterior, but entered the building once the flames diminished.

A bulldozer was utilized to breach the building's gate, aiding firefighters' entry. Though the blaze was partially subdued after nearly four hours of intense effort, smoky plumes continued to rise from the premises. Local residents were among the first to attempt to douse the flames upon spotting the fire. Police officers from Khardah police station were also deployed to control the throng of people and manage traffic on the main road, which had been clogged due to the blaze.

The exact cause of the fire remains undetermined. A preliminary assessment by the fire department pointed towards a transformer explosion inside the CESC building as the probable ignition source. The fire department's official stated that their primary concern is to control the fire; the investigation into the cause will follow.

So far, no casualties have been reported. The fire department official added that a few shanties had also been razed to the ground by the flames, and firefighters were working diligently to bring the situation fully under control.