Kolkata: A massive fire at the Eastern Railway office at Strand Road claimed at least seven lives and also left several injured.
According to firefighters, at least five firefighters along with security personnel of the Deputy Safety Commissioner and one RPF personnel died due to the fire on the 13th floor of the building.
"Though the fire is under control now but it has killed five of our workers life. 10 fire tenders were pressed at the spot but the space being narrow the hydraulic ladders took time to get set," mentioned a fire fighter.
However, the sources from Eastern Railway stated that the cause of the fire is yet to be determined as the office had adequate measures to beat the fire.
According to a local lady, Mina Das, people died inside due to suffocation.
Kolkata: Fire breaks out at the 12th floor of a multi-storeyed building in Kolkata, Monday, March 8, 2021. | (PTI Photo)
West Bengal Minister of fire and emergency services, Sujit Bose said that four firefighters, two ROF personnel and ASI of Hare Street police station have died.
KMC Mayor Firhad Hakim and Kolkata Police Commissioner Soumen Mitra were seen at the spot.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also reached the spot late evening and had announced 10 lakh rupees compensation and government job to a kin of each victim.
"This building is old and TMC government had long back asked for the maps of this building but the Railway didn't cooperate with us," stated the Chief Minister.
Notably, no one from the Eastern Railway were seen at the spot.
