A fire audit at a prominent shopping mall in south Kolkata reportedly found that smoke and fire alarms did not activate during testing, while hose pipes and expired extinguishers raised fresh questions about safety preparedness in high-footfall commercial buildings. Fire officials also reportedly found missing fire-safety records at a nearly two-decade-old underground market plaza in the New Market area.
According to a report by Bartaman Patrika, fire officials held incense sticks near smoke and fire alarms at the south Kolkata mall, but the alarms did not sound. The inspection also found that hose pipes were not functioning during the visit. The report said the problem extended from the basement to the roof, with multiple hose points found to be non-operational.
Fire extinguishers at the mall were also reportedly found to have passed their expiry dates. The findings are significant because malls and market complexes depend on interconnected systems, including alarms, hydrants, hose reels and extinguishers, to detect and contain a fire before it spreads through crowded public areas.
The inspection also covered a market plaza in the New Market area that has been operating since 2007 and contains around 200 shops. The report said fire officials could not find documents relating to the plaza’s fire-safety arrangements. The absence of accessible records makes it difficult for inspectors to establish whether the building’s systems have been approved, maintained or periodically tested.
The reported inspections extended beyond fire safety. During visits to food businesses near Golpark, municipal officials allegedly found a bird feather inside a sealed packet of nimki at a well-known sweet shop. Officials also examined biryani at a prominent restaurant and discarded multiple portions of firni kept in earthen containers. The report said municipal officials expressed dissatisfaction with the condition of the sweet shop’s kitchen.
The sweet shop’s operators reportedly could not produce the required kitchen licence during the inspection. Officials also raised an issue over the absence of manufacturing dates on the sweets. Inspectors subsequently visited a Bengali food outlet and a momo shop in the same area.
At Simpark Mall, 22 air-handling systems were examined in detail during the inspection, according to the report. Air-handling equipment is part of a building’s ventilation system and can become relevant during a fire because smoke and hot air may travel through connected ducts and enclosed spaces.
The findings bring together two linked public-safety concerns in Kolkata’s commercial spaces: whether fire-protection equipment is operational when needed and whether civic records are available to demonstrate compliance. The report did not provide details of any closure order, penalty or corrective deadline issued after the inspections. Further action will depend on the findings and directions of the fire and municipal authorities.
