Fire erupts at Kolkata Metro station, no casualties

Kolkata, Aug 9 (IANS) A fire broke out at the busy Rabindra Sadan Metro station in Kolkata on Wednesday, triggering panic among commuters.

The fire has been brought under control and there were no reports of casualties or injuries.

The source of the blaze was an air- conditioning machine at the cooling tower near the ticketing counter of the station.

According to the chief public relations officer of Kolkata Metro Railways Kaushik Mitra, all the passengers who were present at the station while the fire broke out are safe.

“The train services were not impacted at all. The fire broke out at the cooling tower in the station. Therefore there was smoke within the station complex,” he added.

Three fire tenders immediately rushed to the spot and soon brought the blaze under control.

“The fire services personnel had to break open the window glasses for quick exhaust of the accumulated smoke,” an official present at the spot said.

He said that a Railway Protection Force (RPF) person noticed the emission of smoke.

“He was alert, thanks to him that he pressed the timely alarm bell and the fire was contained in its early stage,” the fire services official added.