Kolkata: A fire broke out at the players' dressing room of the iconic Eden Gardens late on Wednesday night during the renovation work for the upcoming ICC World Cup. People working there were first to spot thick smoke emanating from the dressing room area at around 11.45 pm.
The fire department was immediately informed and two fire tenders were pressed into service. The fire was brought under control within 45 minutes. No injuries or casualties were reported.
According to fire department officials, fire caught at the false ceiling of the dressing room where the cricketers' equipment is kept. Although no major damage was reported, all the belongings of the players were burnt to ashes. It is believed that the fire may have been caused due to short circuit, raising questions at the ongoing renovation work for the upcoming ICC World Cup. The cause of the fire is being investigated, said officials.
The ICC World Cup will start in two months with Eden Gardens scheduled to host five important matches. The renovation work is going on at full swing so as to make the ground ready by September 15. The ICC representatives have expressed satisfaction over the progress of work so far. The next supervision is slated next month.
A fire permit is mandatory ahead of any match that is to be played at any venue. The joint inspection team of the ICC and the board has been informed about the measures that are to be taken in case of fire. Also, a new dressing room is being built at Eden.
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) is not willing to have any glitches in the management before the World Cup. CAB joint secretary Debabrata Das rushed to the ground as soon as he heard about the fire last night. The entire incident is being probed into and it will be seen as to whether there was any negligence or not, Das said.
"The officials will talk to the contractor that has been given the responsibility of the renovation work this afternoon. Preparations are to be completed within next month so extra precautions have to be taken to avoid any further glitch," he added.
