Kolkata, Dec. 18 -- A major fire destroyed a major cluster of shanties close to Eco Park in the eastern part of the city in New Townwhere at least 10 fire fighting vehicles were pressed into services to douse the leaping flames this evening, official sources said.
The shanties, locally known as "Bangladeshi colony", grown over the years, were destroyed in the fire, which was fuelled by sporadicblasts of cooking gas cylinders and northern wind that overpowered the fighting of the firemen, who were assisted by the affected family members.
Sources said such fires in shanties near New Town and Eco Park happen periodically, with recent incidents in late 2024 displacing familiesand earlier in 2024 and even this year too causing property damage ...