Fire breaks out at food plaza outside Sealdah station; outlet’s licence cancelled

The situation caused extreme panic among the passengers as the plaza was right at the entrance of the south section of the station. Photo: X/@PTI_News A massive fire broke out at a food plaza outside Sealdah station (South section) on Monday morning, causing panic among passengers. Later, the Sealdah Division management cancelled the license of the place. Officials said that the fire sparked at around 9:15 a.m. at the large food court that houses multiple eateries. The entire area was immediately covered with a thick black smoke. “Three Fire Brigade reached the spot at around 9:24 A.M. and immediately started fire-fighting operations. With coordinated efforts, the fire was successfully brought under control by around 10:00 A.M. and completely extinguished by 10:45 AM,” said the Sealdah Division Railways in an official statement. The situation caused extreme panic among the passengers as the plaza was right at the entrance of the south section of the station. The auto and taxi stand are also close to the other end of the plaza. As per the prima facie assessment, the cooking oil in the “Frying Pan” appears to have caught fire due to overheating, possibly because of a higher temperature setting. The flames subsequently rose towards the ceiling, causing the duct and ceiling insulation to catch fire. As the restaurant is an enclosed space, huge smoke also accumulated inside the premises. No injuries or casualties have been reported.Sealdah station is equipped with an automatic fire suppression system for the station premises only. However, the station’s automatic fire suppression system does not cover the restaurant area, as it was the responsibility of the licensee. Officials said that the fire staff found the fire extinguishers in the plaza disfunctional. They had to arrange extra water to douse the fire. The situation is under control now.The license has been suspended with immediate effect until completion of the inquiry. A detailed inquiry has been initiated to establish the exact cause of the incident and assess responsibility. If any lapse or negligence on the part of the licensee is established during the inquiry, strict action will be taken by the Division as per the applicable rules. Published - August 31, 2026 02:54 pm IST