Fire brigade sources said two fire tenders fought the flames for about 40 minutes as the patients and relatives were safely brought out of the smoke-filled first floor during visiting hours.
One room of the nursing home was damaged in the fire, which was believed to have been triggered from an air conditioning machine of the private health care facility, located near Kalyani station, on Sealdah-Kalyani section of Eastern Railway.
The blaze and smoke triggered alarm and panic in the visiting hours but for the patients' relatives, nursing home staff and local people who intervened, the timely arrival of fire brigade prevented a bigger tragedy, locals said.
Fire brigade sources said it was being examined if the nursing home was following fire safety norms.