英闻天下——341 19 Killed, 20 Injured in India Fire

 　　Officials in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata are saying the death toll¹ from the fire that burnt down an illegal 6 storey market building with just 1 exit point could still rise.

 

　　At least 19 people are said to have died so far in the early morning blaze, which is said to have caught a number of people sleeping there overnight.

 

　　While the fire is now reportedly under control, officials fear there may be a number of people still trapped inside.

 

　　Indian fire fighters try to extinguish a fire at the Surya Sen market in Calcutta, capital of eastern Indian state West Bengal, Feb. 27, 2013. A fire engulfed² a multi-storey market complex, with 19 killed and dozen others injured. [Photo: Xinhua]

 

　　The Kolkata Police Commissioner³, Surajit Kar Purakayastha, says rescuing those people is now a top priority.

 

　　"Rescue operation is on. Disaster management, fire brigade, local people, civil defence are engaged in rescue operations. Our main priority is to rescue those trapped inside the building and provide proper treatment to the injured."

 

　　While the cause of the fire is still being investigated, authorities are saying it might have been caused by a short circuit in the first floor of the building.

 

　　The market itself is said to be illegal, with the shop keepers also said to have recently been given an eviction⁴ notice.

 

　　This isn't the first such fire incident in the city though.

 

　　In 2011, nearly 90 patients died in a hospital fire, while in 2008, a fire at one of the city's largest markets destroyed over 25 Hundred shops.

1 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

2 engulfed   

v.吞没，包住( engulf的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was engulfed by a crowd of reporters. 他被一群记者团团围住。
• The little boat was engulfed by the waves. 小船被波浪吞没了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

4 eviction   

n.租地等的收回

参考例句：

• The family have won a temporary reprieve from eviction.这个家庭暂时免于被逐出。
• He claimed damages for unlawful eviction.他要求对非法驱逐作出赔偿。