Fire Accident in Kolkata AMRI Hospital: 20 Died

A major fire accident took place in AMRI Hospital Kolkata in the wee hours on Friday in which at least 20 patients were feared to have suffocated to death. The devastating fire swept through a seven storied annexe building of AMRI hospital at Dhakuria in Kolkata. "Twenty patients are feared to have suffocated to death in the fire at the AMRI Hospital," West Bengal Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim said. Some bodies were found in departments that firemen were able to access, he said.

Initial reports had said that 40 patients were trapped inside the building, but Hakim said he was unable to give the exact figure now as none of the hospital authorities could be contacted. he fire which was suspected to have originated in the electrical department in the basement of the centrally air-conditioned building swiftly spread, with the third floor and above being affected the most, fire brigade sources said. The fire brigade despatched 25 fire engines, which took time to reach the smoke-engulfed building because of narrow approach roads, Hakim said.