35 stalls gutted in Baghajatin fire, traders lose festive stocks worth lakhs

An early-morning fire at Baghajatin market on the city’s southern fringes gutted at least 35 grocery and fruit stalls, wiping out stocks worth several lakhs of rupees.

Tuesday’s blaze dealt a crippling blow to shop owners who had stocked up for the festive season. The movement of goods is restricted from Mahalaya to Kali Puja, prompting traders to keep their stores stocked.

“Durga Puja is not yet over, and Lakshmi Puja is just days away. This is the peak season for our business. The fire has left us devastated,” said Abhijit Pal, a grocery shop owner.

Fruit sellers, too, had stocked up ahead of Lakshmi Puja. “The Baghajatin area has many families with roots in East Bengal who celebrate Puja with devotion. Both our daily supplies and the stocks we had stored have been destroyed,” said Chandranath Banik, a fruit seller.

The fire broke out around 3.30am and spread through a section of the market. “When we reached the spot, flames were leaping out of the shops. We tried to salvage some stock but could not. The fire was too intense,” said a shop owner.

Fifteen fire engines were pressed into service. Around 1.30pm on Tuesday, firefighters were still trying to contain a pocket of fire in the 79-year-old market.

A fire brigade official said large sections of the market were covered with plastic sheets, causing the flames to spread rapidly. The presence of oil in several grocery shops further fuelled the blaze. Witnesses said some tins exploded and were flung into the air.

Bikes parked in an open space outside the grocery section also caught fire. “People visiting the wholesale fish market, which remains open through the night, had parked their bikes there,” a shop owner said.

Located between Garia and Jadavpur, Baghajatin market is one of the oldest markets in the area. It houses wholesale and retail fish sections, a vegetable market, grocery shops and fruit stalls.

The cause of the fire is yet to be established. “We are awaiting a forensic report to determine what triggered it,” the official said.

By Tuesday afternoon, traders were struggling to assess their losses. One shop owner said some of his stock had been burnt, while the rest was damaged by the water used to douse the flames.

“We do not know when we will be able to resume business. We are still counting our losses. All shop owners look forward to the Puja season. Suffering such a heavy loss during the festivities has left us heartbroken,” said Ratan Das, a grocery shop owner.