6:06 AM
Unknown
Kolkata: At least 73 people - most of them patients - have died in this morning's huge fire at AMRI hospital in Kolkata. There were 160 people inside the hospital in Dhakuria, south Kolkata, when the fire began.
Families of the victims and the government accuse the privately-owned and posh hospital of ignoring basic fire safety laws - a claim refuted by hospital staff. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said this morning's tragedy was "an unforgivable crime" and vowed "the harshest punishment possible" for those found responsible. The license of the hospital has been cancelled. A First Information Report or FIR has also been filed, which launches a criminal case.
Dead bodies are being moved to the SSKM Hospital; families have been asked to identify their relatives before post-mortems are conducted. (Watch: Rescue worker shares what he saw)
The fire began in the basement, where highly inflammable material was allegedly stored. Eyewitnesses say they first spotted and reported smoke streaming from the hospital around 3 am, but the first fire engine arrived two hours later. Additional Director General Fire Services D Biswas, however, denied any delay.
Families of the victims and the government accuse the privately-owned and posh hospital of ignoring basic fire safety laws - a claim refuted by hospital staff. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said this morning's tragedy was "an unforgivable crime" and vowed "the harshest punishment possible" for those found responsible. The license of the hospital has been cancelled. A First Information Report or FIR has also been filed, which launches a criminal case.
Dead bodies are being moved to the SSKM Hospital; families have been asked to identify their relatives before post-mortems are conducted. (Watch: Rescue worker shares what he saw)
The fire began in the basement, where highly inflammable material was allegedly stored. Eyewitnesses say they first spotted and reported smoke streaming from the hospital around 3 am, but the first fire engine arrived two hours later. Additional Director General Fire Services D Biswas, however, denied any delay.
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