Fire in Kolkata's Chatterjee International building brought under control; four trapped rescued and taken to hospital

Fire today broke out in the 15th floor of the landmark Chatterjee International building near Park Street in the heart of the city, the police said, trapping several people on the top floor of the high rise which houses many commercial establishments on the Jawaharlal Nehru Road here.

Local Bengali news channels are reporting that the fire has been brought udner control. The fire fighters suspect that the source of the fire could be from some air conditioning machines.

The fire is yet to be doused and 20 fire tenders have been rushed to the spot.

"Four persons who were trapped inside have been rescued using a ladder and they have sent to hospital for treatment for smoke-related complaints," West Bengal Fire Services Minister Javed Khan told news persons here. "No one else is trapped inside the building," he told reporters while supervising fire tending operations at the building situated at the crossing of Park Street and Jawaharlal Nehru Road here. Some people who were in the second and third floors of the building were also evacuated, he said.

Several people were seen throwing clothes and paper from the top floor to catch the attention of fire officials.

"As the fire broke out between the 12th and 15th floors, there were people who were unable to come down. Several fire tender engines have been rushed to the spot," an official of the Kolkata Police said. "There is no news of any casualty and the cause of the fire or the extent of damage are yet to be ascertained," he said.

Kolkata: Fire breaks out at Chatterjee International Centre pic.twitter.com/DR19JVQDSL

— ANI (@ANI_news) September 2, 2014

Kolkata: Fire break out at Chatterjee International Centre pic.twitter.com/bbvpvPJKOz

— ANI (@ANI_news) September 2, 2014

Since the fire broke out before the office hours, the police said the possibility of any person being trapped in the building, which houses many private and government offices, is less.

The area has been cordoned off to conduct the firefighting operations in the busy area. The cause of fire or extent of damage was yet to be ascertained, the police said. With the fire breaking out just before the office hours and several major thoroughfares closed due to fire tending operations, huge traffic snarls were caused inconveniencing office-goers.