Two injured in fire at closed cinema hall in Kolkata

Kolkata: At least two people were injured when a massive fire broke out at a closed cinema hall in the city's Lake Town area, a senior official of the Fire Department said.

At least 15 fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the blaze at "Mini Jaya" hall on Friday night. Fire Minister Sujit Bose, who is also a resident of the area, rushed to the spot and said that the blaze started probably from a stove on which food was being cooked by the wife of the caretaker.

They stayed in a room on the top floor of the building. "It seems that the fire broke out from the cooking stove on which the caretaker's wife was cooking. The woman herself suffered burn injuries and was taken to a hospital. The caretaker was also injured," Bose said. Bidhannagar Police CP Supratim Sarkar also reached the place.

The blaze was spotted at around 9.15 pm and later electricity connection of the area was switched off, the official said. Till last reports, firefighters were still trying hard to douse the blaze. According to the Fire Department official, the major part of the hall was gutted and its projector room, known as Jaya II, was severely damaged in the incident. "The fire is under control but yet to be doused. Our officials are still fighting to put it out," the official said.