AMRI Fire: Mamata calls for steps to prevent AMRI-like incident

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today called for taking steps to prevent recurrence of devastating fire like that claimed 93 lives in the private AMRI Hospital which was engulfed in flames on December 9.

"I don't want to remember that fateful day's incident. We have to take steps to prevent such an incident which took so many lives," Banerjee told a programme at Rabindra Sarovar near the hospital after paying homage to the victims who suffocated to death.

Lamenting that those who died would not return, she said "as a member of their families, we stand beside them.

"We have promised to provide one job to a family member of each victim. The state government will pay compensation of Rs three lakh to families of each victim, besides another Rs two lakh to be given by the Centre."

The chief minister praised the local people, besides health and police officers who rushed to rescue the patients trapped at the hospital.

Kolkata Mayor Sovan Chatterjee, Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim and Commissioner of Kolkata Police R K Pachnanda also paid homage to the victims.