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Mamata sniffs sabotage, orders probe into Kolkata fire
Thursday March 22, 2012 04:46:50 PM,
IANS
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Related Articles |
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Major fire in Kolkata, no casualties reported
so far
A large number of shops were destroyed in a major fire that broke
out in Kolkata’s age-old Hatibagan market in the early hours
Thursday. No casualties have been reported. Thirty fire tenders
pressed into service have brought the blaze partially under
control after hour
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Kolkata: Hinting
that the devastating fire at Kolkata's age-old Hatibagan market
Thursday could have been deliberately caused, West Bengal Chief
Minister Mamata Banerjee has ordered a joint probe by the police,
the fire department and the Disaster Management Group.
"The local councillors have complained to me that for the last few
days some suspicious people have been roaming around the market
collecting information. Whether it is a case of deliberate fire or
an accident is a matter to be probed which will be done by the
police, the fire department and the Disaster Management Group," Banerjee said.
Some owners whose shops were completely gutted have alleged
sabotage.
"Promoters have been eyeing the market for long to set up shopping
malls here. Who knows may be the fire was caused by them to get
the area on which our shops were located," said one of the
shopkeepers. His views were echoed by others.
Banerjee said that hawking stalls have been increasing in the area
and there were many illegal godowns which resulted in congestion,
hindering the fire brigade services.
"The hawking stalls have been spreading. Every day we see new
stalls coming up. The hawkers' union leaders in lieu for money are
allowing these shops to come up, which not only inconveniences the
public at large but restricts and hinders the movement of fire
engines in case of a fire," she said.
The chief minister also assured rehabilitation of the poor
shopkeepers.
"Although it is a nongovernmental market, there are many small
traders who are poor and have lost everything in the fire. I have
asked the (Municipal) Corporation to look into the matter and work
towards their rehabilitation," added Banerjee.
More than 80 percent of the iconic market was razed in an early
morning fire which was noticed first at 2.30 in the morning.
Thirty fire engines were pressed into service, and as per official
reports the blaze has been brought under control. There are no
reports of any injury or casualty.
A forensic team is slated to visit the place Friday.
This is the third major fire incident in Bengal in the last two
days.
On Wednesday, at least four people were injured in a fire at two
hospitals.
In December last year, a pre-dawn blaze at Kolkata's AMRI hospital
left 94 people dead. Most of them were patients who choked to
death due to toxic smoke.
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