📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Michal Klajban
Local
Fire razes 25 shanties in New Town slum after LPG cylinder blast
✍️ Bhaskar English
🗓 24 Oct 2026, 06:01 AM
👁 12
A massive fire broke out in a New Town slum near City Centre 2 after an LPG cylinder explosion, destroying about 25 makeshift homes.
A large fire erupted in a slum area of New Town, Kolkata, after an LPG cylinder exploded near the City Centre 2 commercial complex. The blaze quickly spread, engulfing makeshift dwellings that line the narrow lanes of the settlement.
Emergency services arrived within minutes and managed to contain the flames, but the fire gutted roughly 25 shanties, leaving many families homeless. No fatalities or serious injuries have been reported so far, although some residents suffered minor smoke inhalation.
The West Bengal Fire Service, along with local police, has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the cylinder blast and assess safety lapses in the densely populated area. Relief measures, including temporary shelters and basic necessities, are being coordinated by municipal authorities.
The incident highlights the vulnerability of informal settlements to accidental fires, prompting calls for stricter enforcement of safety regulations and better access to emergency services in rapidly expanding urban zones.
Emergency services arrived within minutes and managed to contain the flames, but the fire gutted roughly 25 shanties, leaving many families homeless. No fatalities or serious injuries have been reported so far, although some residents suffered minor smoke inhalation.
The West Bengal Fire Service, along with local police, has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the cylinder blast and assess safety lapses in the densely populated area. Relief measures, including temporary shelters and basic necessities, are being coordinated by municipal authorities.
The incident highlights the vulnerability of informal settlements to accidental fires, prompting calls for stricter enforcement of safety regulations and better access to emergency services in rapidly expanding urban zones.