Fire at Biswa Bangla Gate Restaurant, Kolkata: Diners Evacuated, Sparks Fall on Road, No Injuries; Cause Under Investigation

What happened

On the evening of Wednesday, 21 October 2026, Vijaya Dashami, the last day of Durga Puja, a fire broke out at the hanging restaurant on the Biswa Bangla Gate in New Town, Kolkata. It began at about 6.30 pm. Smoke came out of the restaurant and sparks fell on the main road below, about 80 feet down (TOI) or 82 feet (India Today), where vehicles were moving. Police stopped and diverted traffic under the gate and cordoned off the spot where sparks were landing. Guests and staff were taken out. No injury was reported, and the fire was out in under half an hour (Times of India). Updated 26 October 2026.

The number of diners is not settled. India Today and OrissaPOST, quoting local sources, say 50 to 60 guests were dining. PTI says about 50 people, including staff, were evacuated. The Times of India quotes officials as saying there were not many diners. We show it as a range. What every report agrees on is the timing: the last evening of the Puja, when New Town is full of visitors.

The response

PTI says two fire tenders were used; the Times of India says one tender was rushed first, followed by police and firefighters within minutes. Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Amit Kumar Bharat Rathore reached the spot with senior officers from the New Town and Techno City police stations and said it was brought under control through joint effort of the fire department and police (India Today, OrissaPOST). Traffic was brought back to normal once the fire was out. The Times of India adds that officials said the part where the fire started was covered with fire-retardant cloth, which stopped it spreading. PTI quotes an official saying the fire began in the lower portion of the restaurant, which is built to look like a hanging structure.

Cause and follow-up

The cause is not known. A short circuit is suspected by firefighters and the PTI official; India Today and OrissaPOST say the agency is also looking at an incident in the kitchen. The West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO), which the Times of India says operates and maintains the gate and restaurant, is investigating with the fire department. The Times of India reports that the restaurant was closed and will reopen after safety maintenance work, and that a formal safety audit of the premises will be carried out. OrissaPOST says a security audit of the whole structure was ordered. We found no report of any finding yet.

Some outlets call it a minor fire. We keep that word out of the title, because the place, the hour and the sparks falling on a busy road are the reason it matters.

Why this matters

Nobody was hurt, and it should not be written as a big disaster. But it was a restaurant raised high above a main road, with dozens of people inside on one of the busiest evenings of the year, and a fire that sent burning pieces down on moving traffic. The same city lost nine lives while people slept in the Mirza Ghalib Street hotel fire and 14 in the Rituraj hotel fire. During the same Puja week, 19 people died in the Chorbagan pandal crowd crush. This small fire is a reminder of what Puja crowds and tall public structures need: an exit plan that works, a clear cordon below, and wiring that is checked. Kolkata’s city safety guide lists the local numbers and fire risks.

Lessons for readers

• Restaurant and venue operators on raised or hanging structures: know how every guest gets down if the lift fails or smoke fills the stairs, and practise it with staff before the festival season.
• Agencies that own landmark structures: inspect and test wiring, kitchen exhausts and lighting before the Puja crowds, not after. See our note on small electrical faults that cause big fires.
• Police and traffic staff: when sparks or debris fall on a road, stop traffic below first, as was done here, and keep the cordon until the fire is declared out.
• Diners: when you sit down in a high venue, note the two nearest exits. If you smell smoke or see sparks, leave at once by the stairs, do not go back for bags, and call 112 or 101. Our emergency numbers guide explains which number to call.
• Visitors in festival crowds: see how to stay safe at pandals and melas and why public spaces are often not safe enough.

What is still not known

The cause (short circuit or kitchen) is not confirmed. The count of guests (about 50 to 60, or fewer) and of fire tenders (one or two) differs by report. We do not know whether the fire safety certificate and electrical inspection of the restaurant were current, what the planned safety audit will find, or when the restaurant will reopen. We will update this page if HIDCO or the fire department announces a finding. Last checked 26 October 2026.