Kolkata: Fire broke out at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Strand Road, amid the ongoing vote counting for the Kaliganj Assembly constituency bypoll. Fortunately, the fire was quickly controlled, with no reports of injuries, casualties, or damage to property.
Cause and Response
Officials of the state fire services suspect that a short circuit may have caused the blaze. The fire originated from the data centre of another office housed in the same building, located on the first floor. Smoke and flames were observed emanating from this data centre, which led to a panic among those present, including CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal and other senior officials.
Handling the Situation
Security personnel promptly used fire extinguishers to tackle the flames before fire tenders arrived from a nearby station. The situation was brought under control swiftly. Agarwal later assured that the incident would not impact the ongoing election process or the office’s regular functions.
Investigation and Political Context
An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the fire. Meanwhile, the counting process continues, with the Trinamool Congress seemingly headed for a landslide victory. Their candidate, Alifa Ahmed, is increasing her lead, while the BJP and Congress are engaged in a close contest for the second position. Currently, 23 rounds of counting are scheduled.