After monitoring the situation, she assured of all possible assistance and support and prayed for the safety of one and all.

Panic gripped the office area in downtown Kolkata this noon as a devastating fire erupted at Saraf House near Raj Bhawan.

Governor C V Ananda Bose seeing the plumes of smoke billowing out of the affected building came out of Raj Bhawan and personally oversaw the situation.

In all ten fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the blaze.

Fire Brigade Minister Sujit Bose and Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal also rushed to the spot to personally inspect the situation. Local Congress Councillor Santosh Pathak was also on the spot.

Everyone has been evacuated to safer areas.

The affected building houses several offices, including that of a nationalised bank.

(Images by Avishek Mitra/Text: UNI)