A massive fire broke out in a parking lot in the Garden Reach area of Kolkata on Thursday, causing widespread panic and destruction. The blaze, which started in the afternoon, spread rapidly across the vehicles parked in the lot, gutting several cars within minutes. Witnesses reported seeing towering flames and thick plumes of black smoke rising into the sky, visible from far across the neighborhood.

Multiple fire tenders were rushed to the spot as firemen battled the raging inferno for several hours. The narrow lanes of the locality added to the challenges of the firefighting operations. During the blaze, several minor explosions were heard, suspected to be the fuel tanks of the vehicles bursting due to the intense heat. By the time the fire was brought under control, several expensive cars were reduced to mere metal skeletons.

Preliminary investigations suggest that a short circuit might have triggered the fire, although authorities are not ruling out other possibilities. Local residents have raised concerns over the lack of proper fire safety measures in the parking facility. While no casualties have been reported so far, the financial loss is estimated to be in the crores. The local police have cordoned off the area, and a forensic team is expected to visit the site to determine the exact cause of the disaster.