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Kolkata market fire: Death toll 19; Mamata sniffs sabotage
Wednesday February 27, 2013 08:32:24 PM,
IANS
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Kolkata: At least 19
people were killed here Wednesday when a fire engulfed a
multi-storey market complex. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hinted at sabotage as a possible cause.
A dozen people were also critically injured in the fire that broke
out at about 4 a.m. in Sealdah in central Kolkata when many
victims were asleep.
Even as 26 fire tenders battled the leaping flames and firemen
scrambled to rescue people, many were feared trapped inside the
market that houses shops and paper godowns.
Fire Services Minister Javed Khan said the complex was illegally
built during the erstwhile Left Front regime and that most entry
and exit gates were locked, trapping people.
Kolkata Mayor Sovon Chatterjee said the fire took a long time to
douse as the lanes leading to the market were narrow and dingy.
Locals alleged that the death toll could be more.
The chief minister ordered an enquiry and announced compensation
of Rs.2 lakh to the kin of each of the dead and Rs.50,000 to each
injured person.
"The probe will be jointly done by police, fire department and
municipal corporation. A report is to be submitted in three days.
"On the basis of the report, action will be taken," Banerjee said
at the site.
Observing that the market was prone to fire because a large number
of inflammable objects were stored, she also hinted at sabotage.
"Why has this incident happened? There are so many inflammable
objects that if anybody intentionally lit a small fire, it could
turn into a major fire. There can be (a) conspiracy, sabotage. The
probe will look into all aspects," she said.
Banerjee visited the injured at the state-run NRS Medical College
and Hospital.
"At least 19 people have been killed so far," an officer at the
police control room said.
"We will take action against the market authorities for not having
any fire safety arrangements," Minister Khan said.
Surjya Kanta Mishra of the Communist Party of India-Marxist
demanded a probe.
"This is not the time to play the blame game. An immediate and
impartial probe must be initiated and the administration must
seriously look into how many buildings there are vulnerable to
fire," he said.
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