Kolkata Fire
Saddened by loss of lives due to Kolkata fire tragedy: Narendra Modi
New Delhi/Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday condoled the loss of lives in the fire mishap in Kolkata which left at least nine people dead.
At least nine people, including firefighters and a cop, died after a fire broke out in the Eastern Railway office-building in Kolkata on Monday night.
Modi tweeted: "Saddened by the loss of lives due to the fire tragedy in Kolkata. In this hour of sadness, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest."
Saddened by the loss of lives due to the fire tragedy in Kolkata. In this hour of sadness, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 9, 2021
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also approved and ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the tragic incident and Rs 50,000 to those who have been seriously injured, he wrote on Twitter.
PM @narendramodi has approved an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the tragic fire in Kolkata. Rs. 50,000 would be given to those seriously injured.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) March 9, 2021
PMO India tweeted: "PM @narendramodi has approved an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the tragic fire in Kolkata. Rs. 50,000 would be given to those seriously injured."
President Kovind tweets:
President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted: "Pained beyond words by the extremely tragic fire accident at a building in Kolkata. My deep sympathy and condolences for the bereaved families. I wish for speedy recovery of the injured."
Pained beyond words by the extremely tragic fire accident at a building in Kolkata. My deep sympathy and condolences for the bereaved families. I wish for speedy recovery of the injured.
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 9, 2021
The death toll in the incident touched nine after rescue workers found two more bodies from a stuck elevator.
These two persons have been identified as Eastern Railway's Deputy Chief Commercial Manager (Database), Partha Pratim Mondal, and his bodyguard whose name is still unknown, according to reports.
Bodies of seven more people, including four firefighters, one Railway Protection Force (RPF) jawan and an ASI of Kolkata Police, were found from another elevator.
A fire and emergency services official said the four firemen, who lost their lives while battling the blaze, had been identified as Girish Dey, Gaurab Bej, Aniruddha Jana and Biman Purkait.
"Kolkata Police's ASI from Hare Street Police Station, Amit Bhawal, and an RPF man, whose name is still unknown, died in the fire while another deceased has not been identified so far," the officer added.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and fire minister Sujit Bose, along with the senior officials of the city police, visited the spot to take a stock of the situation.
The CM has declared an ex-gratia of Rs. 10 lakh and a government job to the next of kin of each deceased.
Alleging non-cooperation from the railway, Banerjee said, "It's a railway property and unfortunately I found no senior officer from the railway here, and we were not even provided a map of the old multi-storey office building" Banerjee said.
Fire Image: UNI
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