Fire Burns Down Dressing Room at Eden Gardens Ahead Of 2023 World Cup
Eden Gardens is one of the most iconic venues in India [Source: Twitter]
In a significant setback to the Cricket Association of Bengal's (CAB) plans for hosting the upcoming World Cup, the dressing room at the iconic Eden Gardens burned to ashes late Wednesday night.
As per reports, the fire broke out around 11:30 PM, and the fire brigade took one hour or so to extinguish it. The false ceiling of the dressing room has been severely damaged, and players' kit bags were set ablaze. An electric short circuit has been identified as the main reason behind the unfortunate accident.
The CAB will thoroughly investigate the episode to identify if it was an accidental fire or intentional. However, no CCTV footage is available, with the renovation work happening at the venue.
Eden Gardens will host as many as five group-stage matches and the all-important semi-final. Interestingly, only last week, the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) representatives inspected the venue ahead of the marquee event in October.
CAB President Snehasis Ganguly further revealed that ICC and BCCI will visit the venue on September 1 for the final checkup, with renovation work still pending for washrooms and commentary boxes. Hosts India are due to play South Africa in Kolkata on November 5.
 "Vishal Mehra")
