A 13-STORY MERCANTILE BUILDING IN CALCUTTA, INDIA, has been burning for 50 hours and is on the verge of collapse.
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The Hindu photo
The tightly-congested market contained approx. 3,000 shops and over 7,000 employees. It is India’s largest wholesale marketplace. The fire has been largely unchecked because the water supply in that area is spotty and insufficient for firefighting needs. Finally on the 2nd day they had established a steady and reliable water source from a distance, but it was too late for the fire has advanced to the upper floors that are unreachable.
The Times of India describes the fire department activities that points out the differences between our countries of firefighting tactics:
The turn-table ladder, which had been lying idle since Saturday night, was finally pressed into service. It managed to douse the flames on the front but the fire raged on in the rear. By evening, the building looked on the brink of collapse.
The army and fire brigade kept up a valiant fight. Water jets were fitted with extra pumps to reach the far corners of the top floor and the terrace. It seemed to work for some time but the flames were soon back. The firemen were helpless as they could not reach the rear and the turn-table ladder could not pass through the narrow lanes. The source of the fire is still undetected, forcing firemen to fight on blindly.
Late on Sunday evening, KMC started demolishing parts of the lower floors to let firemen operate. But the heat and the smoke beat back the spade brigade.
(The “spade brigade.” A new name for the truckies? …..FG)
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AP photo
There have been several sporadic explosions of gas cylinders throughout the event and there is also concern about several hundred liters of diesel fuel that is stored on the top floor. It is now being reported that the building is starting to lean.
The latest story from the Times of India is HERE.
Update: There have been some reports that part of the building has collapsed, but it appears that they are actually some smaller buildings that abut the high-rise. Several buildings have been destroyed so far.
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Reuters
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Associated Press
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