Park Street Fire Exposes Cracks in City’s Emergency Infrastructure

Park Street Fire Exposes Cracks in City’s Emergency Infrastructure
Jitendra Kumar
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Just a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee toured Kolkata’s central business district to review civic conditions, a major fire erupted in a commercial building at Mechhua, near Park Street, revealing serious gaps in the city’s emergency preparedness and enforcement of safety regulations. The incident, though fortunately non-fatal, has once again spotlighted the vulnerabilities of densely packed urban centers and the systemic failures that enable such risks to persist.

Fire Breaks Out in Commercial Hub

The blaze began shortly after 3 PM on a Thursday afternoon in the Park Centre—a mid-rise commercial property located in one of the city’s busiest intersections. According to the Fire Department, the fire is suspected to have originated in the kitchen of a shuttered rooftop restaurant that was undergoing renovation. As smoke began to pour from the upper floors, chaos spread among the occupants and surrounding businesses.

Firefighters arrived promptly, deploying ten engines and more than 50 personnel. It took over four hours to control the blaze, which had by then caused considerable damage to the upper levels and internal infrastructure. More than a dozen businesses suffered fire or water damage, and hundreds of workers were evacuated. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, though at least five people were treated for smoke inhalation.

A Preventable Disaster

Initial reports indicate that the fire could have been prevented with proper adherence to safety codes. The rooftop restaurant where the fire started had been undergoing unlicensed repairs for weeks, according to local shop owners. Fire officials found that the building’s fire alarms had not been functioning and emergency exits were either blocked or inaccessible.

“Basic safety mechanisms were either missing or not in working condition,” said Deputy Fire Chief Prasanta Chatterjee. “This is negligence, plain and simple. These are commercial spaces, not construction zones.”

Fire department officials confirmed that the building had not renewed its fire safety license in over 18 months. Despite multiple notices from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), there was no follow-up from either the building management or enforcement officials.

CM’s Visit and Public Perception

Just the day before, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had visited the adjacent business district as part of a civic oversight program, during which she emphasized cleanliness, urban infrastructure, and market redevelopment. The fact that a fire broke out within 24 hours of her visit has triggered widespread criticism, with opposition leaders and citizen forums questioning the depth and effectiveness of such publicized inspections.

“It’s like whitewashing the walls while the wiring inside is on fire,” said Anirban Sen, spokesperson for the Kolkata Urban Safety Forum. “The city is being managed with announcements, not action.”

A Pattern of Negligence

This incident follows a string of similar fires across Kolkata in recent years, including the Bagree Market fire (2018), the Stephen Court tragedy (2010), and the fire at a COVID hospital in 2021. Each of these incidents was followed by promises of safety audits and stricter building codes, but little appears to have changed on the ground.

According to a 2023 audit by the Fire and Emergency Services Department, nearly 60% of the city’s commercial properties failed to meet basic fire safety norms. These included inadequacies like missing sprinkler systems, blocked staircases, outdated electrical infrastructure, and lack of trained emergency personnel.

“The laws exist, but enforcement is lax,” said retired fire services officer Anil Dutta. “We’ve been warning for years—these fires are not accidents. They are the result of sustained neglect.”

Residents and Businesses Speak Out

Businesses operating out of Park Centre expressed both frustration and fear. “We’ve lost not just physical inventory, but also critical data and client records,” said Ayesha Khan, who runs a legal consultancy in the building. “We asked the building society about fire drills multiple times. We were told not to worry.”

A nearby resident, Partho Mitra, said the building had become a hazard even before the fire. “There were loose wires hanging near the stairs. The elevator would stop midway. We complained, but no one took action.”

Multiple tenants have now said they will consider relocating, citing safety as a primary concern.

Political and Civic Response

The state government has ordered a full investigation into the fire. The Chief Minister’s Office issued a statement calling the incident “deeply concerning” and vowed strict action against those responsible. The KMC has issued notices to the building management and is planning a city-wide crackdown on fire code violations.

“We will not allow negligence to go unchecked. Every building will be reviewed for fire compliance in the next two months,” said Firhad Hakim, the Mayor of Kolkata.

Yet for many, these promises are starting to feel repetitive.

Experts Demand Structural Reform

Urban policy experts argue that the issue is not merely of regulation, but of structural inefficiency. “We have the Building Act, the Fire Services Act, and various civic rules—but they’re all fragmented,” said Professor Sumita Roy, a civic governance analyst at Jadavpur University. “There’s no single-window accountability.”

She recommended a unified municipal safety body, increased funding for fire services, mandatory training for building managers, and a public dashboard listing the fire safety status of commercial properties.

Others point to the need for public awareness. “Tenants, too, need to ask for safety audits. Everyone has a role to play,” said Rajiv Chopra, a fire risk consultant.

Technology to the Rescue?

Some suggest the introduction of fire-tech solutions—automated smoke detection, real-time emergency mapping, and IoT-based building management systems—as a way forward. The Kolkata IT department recently piloted such tech in government buildings, but commercial adaptation remains minimal.

“Unless fire safety becomes part of the digital compliance ecosystem, like pollution or tax, owners will always see it as an avoidable expense,” said startup founder Akash Ghosh, whose firm specializes in building safety automation.

Conclusion: A City on Alert

The fire at Park Centre, while contained in scale, has reignited city-wide debate on Kolkata’s readiness to handle urban emergencies. The government’s response in the coming weeks—particularly its ability to enforce real change rather than issue symbolic reprimands—will be closely watched.

For now, the charred floors of Park Centre stand as a reminder of the costs of neglect, both human and financial. Whether the incident serves as a turning point or yet another ignored alarm remains to be seen.

Journalist Details

Jitendra Kumar
Jitendra Kumar is an Indian journalist and social activist from Hathras in Uttar Pradesh is known as the senior journalist and founder of Xpert Times Network Private Limited.