By IANS,
Kolkata : A major fire broke out in the ammunition depot of the Indian Army base in West Bengal’s Panagarh early Friday, gutting one of the sheds, an official said.
There were no reports of any loss of human lives, defence ministry spokesperson Wing Commander Mahesh Upasani told IANS.
The fire in the Burdwan district base began at 1.30 a.m. and was controlled in two-and-a half hours by eight fire engines.
“Our crisis management team led by the ammunition depot Chief Executive Officer, Colonel A.D. Shetty, fought through the night to douse the fire. However, shed number 16 was gutted. By 4 a.m. the blaze was controlled,” Upasani said.
An army fact-finding team led by Major General Choudry has been rushed from Kolkata to ascertain the cause of the fire, which had led to panic in nearby villages.
Reports from Panagarh said people from 20 villages near the base had fled their houses as the leaping flames were accompanied by big explosions.
The ammunition depot in Panagarh, about 120 km north of Kolkata, is one of the largest of the Indian Army.