Calcutta fire 'is under control'

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A devastating fire in the Indian city of Calcutta has been brought under control four days after it started, officials say.

Hundreds of firefighters fought the deadly blaze in the city's trading hub of Burrabazar for more than 100 hours.

"This was one hell of a fire, the likes we have not seen in recent memory," West Bengal state fire services minister Pratim Chattopadhyay said.

Large amounts of property was destroyed and many small traders ruined.

One trader even died of heart failure on learning that all of his stock had been burnt.

"We have doused so many fires in Calcutta in recent years but we have faced nothing like this," Mr Chattopadhyay said.

He said the fire had been made worse by the huge quantity of fuel and other combustible material stored in the Nandaram and Kanshiram markets which were completely gutted by the four-day blaze.