India's worst fire tragedy at AMRI claims 90 lives

Kolkata, Dec 10: With Friday's pre-dawn fire at the AMRI hospital now becoming infamous for the worst fire tragedies to hit a hospital in India, the final death toll has now mounted to 90. Four staff are also feared dead in the deadly tragedy. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee sprung into action following the incident and visited the hospital in the aftermath of the tragedy.

The 6 Directors of AMRI hospital were arrested and the license of the hospital was cancelled with immediate effect. With the whole of India outraged by what can easily be called callousness from the part of the hospital authorities, there are allegations that the hospital flouted basic safety norms.

The fire is believed to have started at 3:30 am with many critically ill patients caught in the melee following the fire. Many patients succumbed to suffocation and asphyxia rather than burn injuries.

The AMRI hospital was founded by the Emami & Shrachi Groups along with the West Bengal government in 1996. The Week magazine in its annual survey of India's Best hospitals had featured AMRI hospital as one of the best in India. After the tragedy, Emami Group Chairman R.S. Goenka and Shrachi Group's R.S. Todi along with four other directors of the hospital were arrested.

With critical patients shifted to nearby SSKM hospital, officials stated that autopsy has been completed on 87 victims and 84 have been identified. Another 50 patients have been injured. Out of the list of 81 people dead that is available with agencies, 39 of them are women that includes two teenage girls. 42 men lost their lives in the tragedy including a 16-year-old boy.

OneIndia News