Fire breaks out in Kolkata airport

A fire broke out near a departure gate of the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on Wednesday night, officials said. Firefighting arrangements were pressed into service to douse the blaze as panic-stricken passengers were moved to a safe place, they said. No casualty was reported, officials. The entire area inside the airport was engulfed with thick black smoke after the fire broke out at portal D near 3C departure gate at around 9.12 pm. The fire was fully extinguished by 9:40 PM. “Since there was a rush of passengers, airport authorities took no chance and used their firefighters to douse it. At the moment, it is under control and the cooling process is being done,” a police officer said. Officials said after an initial investigation that short circuit could be the reason for the fire.