A fire broke out early Tuesday morning on the third floor of the Air Traffic Control (ATC) building at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Dum Dum. The incident occurred around 4:00 AM, causing sudden panic as thick black smoke billowed from the building. Airport staff immediately alerted the fire department, after which three fire engines were deployed to the scene and successfully brought the blaze under control.
Airport authorities confirmed that no major damage occurred during the incident and flight operations remained unaffected. Preliminary assessments by the fire department suggest that the fire was triggered by an electrical short circuit originating from decorative tricolor lights. The building had been decorated with twinkle lights on the occasion of Independence Day on August 15.
The ATC building plays a vital role in managing air traffic across the region, with actual flight control operations conducted from its eighth floor. Controllers working from the upper floors maintain constant communication with pilots regarding take-offs, landings, flight routes, and altitudes. While a fire in such a critical facility poses potential operational risks, prompt intervention averted any disruption to air traffic services.