20 feared dead in Park Street fire

Earlier,Police Commissioner Gautam Mohan Chakraborty had confirmed five deaths. But Fire Minister Pratim Chatterjee said six persons were dead and the fire was caused by a short circuit in an airconditioner.

The building,Stephen Court,located at 18,Park Street was over 100 years old. At the ground floor,was Kolkata’s heritage Swiss confectionery,the Flurys.

Thousands watched with horror for hours as the fire engulfed the building. The plight of those trapped was made worse with the Fire Services floundering during the operation. It took the Fire Services three hours to bring in three hydraulic ladders and press those into service.

The hydraulic ladders were purchased at the cost of Rs 7 crore each after a fire in Burrabazzar in 2008. But the firemen lacked the necessary training to operate those and could manage to operate only one hydraulic pump. The Fire Brigade headquarters is less than half-a-km from the spot. But it was learnt that the hydraulic ladders were kept at a fire depot at Behala in the southern fringe of the city as the Fire Brigade headquarters did not have the required space.

Forty-five fire engines were pressed into service. According to police sources,the fire was detected on the fourth floor first at 1.30 pm. There are conflicting reports about how the fire originated. One version was that the fire started in the lift,while another version said the fire originated in the kitchen of a residential flat on the fourth floor.

The affected floors — fourth and fifth — had both commercial offices and residential flats. At least 50 persons got trapped as the only entrance and exit — a grand wooden staircase — collapsed under the flames.

“Our office was located on the first floor. We saw flames coming out from a residential unit on the fourth floor. We started running towards the wooden staircase. But it collapsed within 15-20 minutes,” said Sanjay Singh of Rawat Singh Engineering.

There were desperate clamours for rescue operations. But with no ladder in sight,no help was forthcoming.

Locals helped in the rescue operations using electricity department ladders to reach up to a certain height. They threw ropes to those trapped inside.

The government has announced Rs 1 lakh compensation for the kin of the dead persons.