A fire destroyed a Kali Puja pandal at Kalibazar in Jashora, under Panskura police station in East Midnapore, on Saturday evening, hours before the festival structure was scheduled to open to the public. The blaze reduced the pandal and its artwork to ashes, while residents and fire personnel worked to prevent it from spreading to nearby shops and homes.
The pandal was organised by the local traders’ association, Kalibazar Byabsayi Samiti. Artisans were inside the structure or working around it to complete the final touches on this year’s theme before the scheduled inauguration on the eve of the festival.
The fire broke out at around 5pm and engulfed the structure within minutes. Smoke spread across the neighbourhood, causing panic among residents. Locals formed bucket brigades and used water from nearby sources to try to contain the flames before fire tenders arrived from Tamluk.
Police from Panskura police station reached the site to manage the crowd and assist with firefighting operations. The blaze was brought under control before it could spread to surrounding shops and houses, according to the report. No injuries or deaths were reported in the supplied account.
The cause of the fire has not been established. Police are investigating whether it resulted from a short circuit, an accidental spark or another cause. The incident occurred before visitors were allowed into the pandal for the planned opening, but the structure was being prepared by artisans at the time.
The fire has also disrupted the traders’ association’s planned festival installation, destroying the artwork and the pandal shortly before the public inauguration. The incident highlights the operational risks around temporary public structures assembled in dense neighbourhoods, where a fire can quickly threaten adjacent commercial and residential premises.
The officer-in-charge of Panskura police station said the police team reached the site immediately after receiving the information and that a thorough investigation was underway to ascertain the cause. The police probe is the next formal step in determining how the fire began.
