A telephone exchange of BSNL has been destroyed by fire today at Bulbulchandi in Habibpur of Malda district, affecting the telephone service in the district.
"Telephone exchange has been totally destroyed and the fire has been controlled," SP Malda Bhuban Chandra Mondal said.
All phone lines in the area have gone dead and the incident affected the landline and mobile phone service in the district, BSNL officials said.
The fire seems to have occurred from an electrical short-circuit early in the morning, Mondal said.
Locals informed the police after seeing the telephone exchange going in flames, he said.
The quantum of loss is yet to be assessed and it will take time to restore phone lines, officials said.
