Kolkata: Mamata Banerjee visits Bagbazar where fire broke out, assures affected people all help

Banerjee visited the slum, known as Hazari Bustee, where a fire broke out following a suspected gas cylinder explosion on Wednesday evening.

Banerjee has instructed the civic body to make houses for each family as it was in the slum before the fire broke out.

Fire raging at Hazari Bustee on Wednesday evening

"Do not worry. We are with you all. We will make all houses as they were before," the CM said, in an appeal to the affected people.

The people, who have been displaced due to the fire, are kept at Women's College, which is close to the slum, and a local community hall.

As many as 27 fire tenders and police rushed to the scene and firefighting efforts are still being carried out.

Almost all shanties in the slum have been completely gutted in the fire.

During the firefighting operation, multiple LPG cylinders stored inside the shanties exploded, leaving at least one fireman minorly injured.

Local police said that all residents of the slum had been evacuated unhurt.

BJP leader Agnimitra Paul, who had visited the area last night, slammed the state government, run by Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, for being late in jumping into managing the crisis.

"The fire brigade came an hour late and that too there was no water. What the concerned department is doing? Does this government have any moral right to remain in power? Does the government consider these people as animals?" said Paul.

"People have no faith in this government and its ministers," she added.

Mamata Banerjee's address in Bagbazar