Massive Blaze Devastates Janiganj, Delayed Emergency Response Due to Pandal Over Road

A devastating fire swept through Silchar’s Janiganj area this evening, destroying multiple homes, shops, and godowns. The blaze reportedly originated in a godown on Bhuiya Lane, rented by Sushil Paul of Sri Durga Bhandar, where stored cotton fabric and rubber sandals fuelled the fire’s rapid spread. Initial reports suggest the fire was sparked by a firecracker, though the exact cause is still under investigation.

Responding fire engines from Assam Fire and Emergency Service, Assam Police, ONGC Srikona, and Assam Rifles faced delays in accessing the site due to a puja pandal built by the Janiganj Sarbajanin Kali Puja Committee, which obstructed the entry route. Although the committee cooperated in dismantling a portion of the panda to create space, the narrow lanes and traffic slowed response efforts, and the flames reached at least 15 nearby houses as per a local.

The godown, located in Bhuiya Lane and owned by Pinak Mitra, was rented out to Sushil Paul, the proprietor of Sri Durga Bhandar in Janiganj Bazar. The storage contained cotton fabric and rubber sandals. Initial reports indicate that a firecracker ignited the blaze, which quickly spread, engulfing the entire godown and its contents.

Though fire engines arrived promptly, they struggled to access the exact location of the fire due to traffic and had to detour through Kalibari Char. While a portion of the nearby puja pandal was removed to allow passage, it was insufficient for effective entry.

In the meantime, residents used water pumped from their boring wells reserves to combat the flames. The obstruction caused by the pandal, built over the road, highlighted the need for an emergency access route.

Cachar SP Numal Mahatta who reached the spot to oversee the operation said, “We have finally brought the fire under control with a joint and coordinated response. 6 fire tenders were operational at the spot from the Fire and Emergency Service, Assam Police, ONGC Srikona and Assam Rifles. No injuries to human lives were reported. The fire was brought under control at a war footing. The route was too narrow for the fire tenders as there was a puja pandal over the road”.

Shyamapada Das the Ward Commissioner of Ward No. 7 in this regard said, “We still can’t say how the fire was caught, there is no electricity in the area for a short circuit. There are several godowns here, one belongs to the Sree Durga Stores where cotton was stored, and another had dry fruits and milk products. Thankfully the fire brigade responded so promptly that the fire didn’t spread any further and areas like Dhakaiya Colony, Kalibari Char were spared from the flames”.