Fire safety measures stepped up in Malda after pandal blaze

Following the destruction of a pandal in a fire on Thursday night, representatives from the district police and the state fire services department in Malda conducted a special inspection of the Durga Puja pandals throughout the town on Friday.

They also taught club volunteers how to tackle a fire on the Puja grounds and informed the Puja organizers about fire safety precautions.

A fire started late on Thursday night in the Amra Sobai Club's puja pandal in Malda town's ward 2.

Since the pandal was composed of cotton, it was easily consumed by the fire. Members of the club attempted to put out the fire. Two fire engines arrived at the location. After a while, the fire was contained, but not before completely damaging the pandal and even partially damaging the idols.

After visiting the scene to assess the situation, Englishbazar municipality chairman Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury and district magistrate Nitin Singhania promised assistance to the club members.

The club quietly declared on Friday that it will proceed with the Puja.

Teams from the fire department and police took significant notice of the incident, examining the puja venues on Friday. They also informed the organizers, particularly those who had built pandals using combustible materials in huge amounts.

"Every effort was taken to put out the fire as soon as possible, and the puja organizers were informed once more. A fire official stated, "Those who used wood, cotton, straw, or other similar materials in the pandals were asked to stay especially alert during the Puja days."

Major Puja organizers' volunteers received fast training from the department's firefighting unit as well.

The purpose of this kind of training was to maintain their readiness to put out the fire right away. He said, "A unique engine is ready in the middle of the town so that it can hurry to a site in case of an emergency, in addition to our engines at the fire station.

The president of the Mahananda Pally Sukanta Smriti Durga Puja Committee and councillor for the Englishbazar municipality, Dulal Sarkar, remarked that preparing the volunteers was a positive move. "In an emergency, they can respond quickly," Sarkar stated.