Kolkata fire: West Bengal Governor calls for technical overhaul of fire services
Mar 09, 2021
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], March 9 : A day after the Kolkata fire incident that claimed the lives of nine people, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday called for a technical overhaul of fire and municipal services.
"There was no lack of courage and effort by our firefighters but it was their equipment that did not support them. There is a need for change in fire and municipal services. Our fire services should be more technically upgraded," Dhankhar told mediapersons here.
Kolkata Police on Tuesday registered a case in the incident.
At least nine people, including four personnel of the fire department, two Railway personnel and an Assistant Sub Inspector of Police (ASI) died in the incident at a 13-storied-office building of the Eastern Railway in Kolkata's Strand Road, Union Minister Piyush Goyal informed.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives in the fire that took place in Kolkata Monday evening and approved an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased persons, and Rs 50,000 to those who were seriously injured.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the site earlier and announced a Rs 10 lakh compensation and government jobs to one member of the deceased person's next of kin.
The fire broke out on the top floor of the 13-storied building here at around 6 pm on Monday evening. As per a statement, Railway Protection Force (RPF) and other Railway staff immediately rushed to the 13th floor and evacuated most of the staff present there.
The fire brigade reached the incident site at around 6.30 pm and started operations to control the fire. The fire was brought under control by 11 pm.
