Pre-dawn fire in Presidency

The laboratory had two refrigerators and two ovens. While the ovens were switched off,the refrigerator in which imported chemicals were kept,was kept on at night. Forensic officials said it is possible that some malfunction in the refrigerator was responsible for the fire.

Though there was no casualty,11 fire tenders worked for about four hours to bring the blaze under control. The laboratory was totally charred,all computers,chemicals and other equipment gone. The fire even caused substantial damage to the fourth floor.

“The area around the refrigerator was damaged the most,” said Dhurjyoti Sengupta,the Director of State Forensic Laboratory. “We could not collect samples today at it was very hot. We will collect it on Monday.”

The organic chemistry laboratory of the department was used by students of the post-graduate department. The chemistry departments at the 194-year-old institution — the erstwhile Presidency College — is one of the best in this part of the country both in terms of faculty and infrastructure. Even renowed scientists like Jagadish Chandra Bose and Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray had taught there. State higher education minister Sudharshan Roychowhury — himself an alumni of the college — inspected the damage along with the acting principal Amitabha Chatterjee. “The fire is shocking,” he said.

“I have spoken to the Chief Minister and state PWD minister and they have assured that the damage would be repaired at the earliest.”

Since the classes will restart from November 15 after the Puja vacation,the university has a tough task ahead to set things in order.