A fire destroyed a double-storeyed container manufacturing unit in the Kasba Industrial Unit of east Calcutta at around 2.20 pm on Saturday. It started on the first floor and spread to the ground floor. While no one was injured, local residents alleged that the building could have been partially saved if firemen had reached the spot on time.

Employees of the Lintas Packaging Private Limited, an industrial unit manufacturing paint drums, were out during lunch break when neighbours noticed smoke billowing out of the first floor windows. The fire brigade was called at around 2.25 pm, but by the time the tenders reached the spot, local people were already fighting the blaze. Eight fire tenders brought the blaze under control after two hours.

Minister of state for fire services Pratim Chatterjee, who visited the spot at the heat of the moment, said: “The cause of the fire cannot be ascertained right now. It is possible that a cylinder had exploded on the second floor. Apparently, they had a welding unit but did not have safety equipment.”

The minister said that their licences would be sought. “Perhaps the unit has a licence but has been conducting a different business. An FIR will be lodged and the owner will be arrested.”

Local people did not agree. “Why should the owner be arrested? The fire officials arrived too late; they were not properly equipped; and to top it all, they were hesitating to enter the building while the fire raged,” one of them said.

Firemen denied these allegations claiming that the man who had called for help had passed on wrong information. The police came to the minister’s rescue and dispersed the crowd.