Lax safety cited in Indian hospital blaze
Source: Agencies |
December 11, 2011, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
A PRIVATE hospital in eastern India where dozens of people died in a massive fire failed to update its safety procedures despite being ordered to do so months ago, officials said yesterday.
Most of the victims died in their beds from inhaling noxious black smoke that filled the rooms and corridors of one of AMRI Hospital's three buildings after the fire broke out before dawn on Friday in the basement and medical staff fled the scene. One more person died from injuries yesterday, raising the death toll to 91.
Six hospital directors were charged with culpable homicide, and were ordered by a court yesterday to be held in custody for 10 days while authorities investigate the fire. A seventh hospital director was to be brought before the court after being treated in a hospital for smoke inhalation.
Authorities had warned the hospital in September about the basement, where radiation equipment and other supplies were stored, but no action was taken to improve safety, said West Bengal state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who revoked the hospital's license. "This is a tragic incident and a criminal offense," said Banerjee, who is also the state's health minister.
Police also raided hospital directors' and administrators' homes and offices in their investigation. The seven people charged in the case face up to seven years in prison if convicted.
The AMRI Hospital - recently rated by an Indian magazine as one of the best in Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta - did not have proper firefighting equipment, despite a six-month-old order to upgrade, Kolkata Joint Police Commissioner Damyani Sen said.
There were also no emergency exits, and all fire alarms had been switched off, governing party lawmaker Kalyan Banerjee told the court yesterday.
The hospital denied that any safety measures were violated.
Officials were still trying to determine what caused the blaze, but said no radiation leak had been detected.
Most of the victims died in their beds from inhaling noxious black smoke that filled the rooms and corridors of one of AMRI Hospital's three buildings after the fire broke out before dawn on Friday in the basement and medical staff fled the scene. One more person died from injuries yesterday, raising the death toll to 91.
Six hospital directors were charged with culpable homicide, and were ordered by a court yesterday to be held in custody for 10 days while authorities investigate the fire. A seventh hospital director was to be brought before the court after being treated in a hospital for smoke inhalation.
Authorities had warned the hospital in September about the basement, where radiation equipment and other supplies were stored, but no action was taken to improve safety, said West Bengal state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who revoked the hospital's license. "This is a tragic incident and a criminal offense," said Banerjee, who is also the state's health minister.
Police also raided hospital directors' and administrators' homes and offices in their investigation. The seven people charged in the case face up to seven years in prison if convicted.
The AMRI Hospital - recently rated by an Indian magazine as one of the best in Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta - did not have proper firefighting equipment, despite a six-month-old order to upgrade, Kolkata Joint Police Commissioner Damyani Sen said.
There were also no emergency exits, and all fire alarms had been switched off, governing party lawmaker Kalyan Banerjee told the court yesterday.
The hospital denied that any safety measures were violated.
Officials were still trying to determine what caused the blaze, but said no radiation leak had been detected.
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