India hospital fire in Calcutta, Kolkata kills 89. "? arson for profit ?"

Mods I have look’t all over and can not find this fire.
others like it. but not this. is this the right place to post this?
did I miss the post. I did do a good search.

At least 89 people have been killed in a fire that broke out in a hospital in the eastern Indian city of Calcutta (Kolkata), officials say.
Most of the victims were patients who were trapped after the flames spread through the AMRI hospital.
The fire started in the multi-storey hospital's basement, where flammable materials were stored. Firefighters took five hours to control the blaze.

Six board members of the hospital have been arrested.
They include hospital co-founders SK Todi and RS Goenka.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the licence of the six-storey hospital in Dhakuria in the southern part of the city had been cancelled.
She said the fire was an "unforgivable crime" and that those responsible would be given the harshest punishment.

A Upadhay, a senior vice-president of the AMRI hospital company, told Associated Press there were 160 patients in the 190-bed hospital.
A spokesman for Manmohan Singh said the prime minister had "expressed shock and anguish over the loss of lives".
BBC news link
Cnn News link
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AMRI hospital fire claims two Congress leaders
The Congress in West Bengal on Friday demanded exemplary punishment to the offenders of the devastating fire in AMRI hospital which claimed over 85 lives, including two of its leaders who were admitted as patients. "It's a serious criminal offence. Highest legal action should be initiated
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* 89 dead in Kolkata hospital fire

against it," former WBPCC president and state's irrigation minister Manas Bhuniya said describing the incident as "unprecedented and biggest ever in the country".

"We have lost two of our leaders, former AICC member Ajoy Ghoshal and former MLA (1972-1977) from Shyampur in Howrah district Sisir Sen, in the incident," he said after visiting the site.

"The incident along with the death of two party leaders has already been informed to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress high command Sonia Gandhi, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, AICC general secretary in-charge of West Bengal Shakeel Ahmed and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi through fax and e-mail," Bhuniya said.

"Sanction to the hospital and its building structure, which were given during the time of erstwhile Left Front government, should be probed thoroughly and forensic test of its basement should be done to ascertain storage of many inflammable articles," he said.
news link
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Hyderabad hospitals still lack fire safety plans
Related Articles

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Kolkata echoes with anger
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Hospital bosses sent to custody
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Basement meant for parking?
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AMRI licence to be cancelled
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'We were told don't worry'

Most of the hospitals in the city are virtual death traps, lacking not only in the basic fire prevention equipment and safety infrastructure, but also in the training to the staff in disaster management.

According to the GHMC fire prevention wing, of the 556 hospitals they surveyed and issued notices to, only 149 hospitals have complied with their directions so far. C. Lakshmi Prasad, additional director, GHMC fire prevention wing, said, “We have issued notices twice, but only 149 hospitals have complied and installed the stipulated fire safety equipment. In addition to hospitals, we have also issued notices to the district medical and health officers.”

Ranga Reddy DMHO Ch. Jaya Kumari said, 300 out of the 750 hospitals in the Ranga Reddy district limits do not have permanent registrations and they been have issued notices.
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India’s worst fires over the past decade

· March 19, 2011: At least 15 people died and more than a dozen others were injured when fire swept though the thatched bamboo huts of Naisingpara village in remote northern India.

· November 20, 2011: At least 15 eunuchs were killed and 31 injured in India when a fire engulfed a venue in the capital New Delhi where an annual convention was being held.
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"I think this is arson. the company thet sells and installs
the fire equipment will make a Lot of money from this fire.
They will have no choice but to install all the fire safety equipment."

Rest In Peace all those who died.

Just another day of heartache for all the relatives and friends of the deceased.
What can anyone possibly say - more pain and horror.


Much Peace...

This is horrific and those who have neglected their duties need to be severely punished. Those poor, helpless people suffered horribly and it makes me feel very angry and physically sick.

On a slight off note, does anybody know why has the name of the city been changed from Calcutta to Kolcata? Seem pretty similar to me.

reply to post by iskander683


Calcutta was a collonial name given by the British. Kolkata is the native name in the Bengali language.

Just chanced upon a television news report on SBS in Australia. It was the poor people living in the slums behind the hospital who were first at the scene. They broke their way through a brick wall to get to the hospital and help those trapped inside.

Apparently they were stopped at first because they were just poor people who couldn't pay - the hospital officials did not realise they wanted to help save people.

Isn't it always the way - those who are down trodden and with the least to give who always give the most. One of the slum people had bandages on his feet where he suffered burns while trying to help others.

Much Peace...

Originally posted by Amanda5
Just chanced upon a television news report on SBS in Australia. It was the poor people living in the slums behind the hospital who were first at the scene. They broke their way through a brick wall to get to the hospital and help those trapped inside.

Apparently they were stopped at first because they were just poor people who couldn't pay - the hospital officials did not realise they wanted to help save people.

Isn't it always the way - those who are down trodden and with the least to give who always give the most. One of the slum people had bandages on his feet where he suffered burns while trying to help others.

Much Peace...

Now, I'm a pretty 'manly' guy but this makes me so sad I feel like crying, it really does. I feel so depressed when I read stories like this but it also makes me pretty angry and helpless.
Then I feel uplifted by the efforts that these people have made to save others.
Well done and I salute you.