Patients Die as Fire-fighters, Slumdwellers Scramble to Save Lives

Approximately 93 people, mostly patients, lost their lives to a fire that started in the basement of the privately-owned AMRI Hospital, Kolkata. Though the reason behind the blaze is yet to be ascertained, the fire reportedly started in the basement and swiftly spread up the floors. Most patients in the Intensive Care Unit were choked to death. After the incident, the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee confirmed that six members of the AMRI Board, including industrialist S.K. Modi, had been arrested. The members were later produced in the Alipore Court and were remanded to 10-day police custody. Banerjee also ordered a probe into the fire after cancelling the hospital’s licence, which led to staff protests. For now, the hospital has been sealed off by the authorities. The state government has announced a `3-lakh compensation for the victims’ families or employment to the next of kin. The AMRI authorities also announced a compensation of `5 lakh for the families and promised to treat the injured for free. Allegedly, the fire was first detected at 1:00am by the people in the neighbourhood. When they tried to warn the hospital authorities, they were driven away by the staff and security, who later fled as the fire spread. Reports state that after spotting smoke pouring out of the windows, the local people forced their way in to the hospital to start an impromptu rescue operation, which led to several lives being saved. Some of these samaritans also called the police and the fire brigade. After the fire, reports of the hospital flouting several fire safety rules poured in. Allegedly, the authorities used the basement to set up an oncology department, a medicine shop, a car park and a waste dumping area when they had an NOC to use it as a car park. Also, one of the hospital structures was reportedly an unauthorised building, lacking fire-fighting equipment. However, the hospital authorities have rubbished all claims and have stated that safety equipment was in place, while regular fire drills were also held. The basement was later checked for radiation, but no leakage was found. So far, the government has ordered an official investigation, led by the state Joint Commissioner Damayanti Sen, and a judicial inquiry, headed by retired Calcutta High Court Judge Tapan Mukherjee. Their investigation has allegedly revealed that the centrally airconditioned building did not have a vertical fire stop which could have prevented smoke from the basement reaching the upper floors. In all centrally air-conditioned buildings, the maintenance shaft at every alternate floor is sealed off by the vertical fire stop that allows only cables carrying electric wires and the air-conditioning duct, which regulates the movement of smoke and air.