At the core of the tragedy is the practice of hawkers drawing electricity ~ an illegality in itself ~ and cooking on the pavement for the ubiquitous fast-food outlets and also, of course, for themselves.
According to reports, there are more than 800 shops in the market, of different sizes and business capabilities, and each of them has different insurance needs. The insurance claims of only a few shops have been met so far.
Thirty fire tenders rushed to the spot to douse the fire. Mayor Sovan Chatterjee visited the area early in the morning to oversee the firefighting efforts.