73 persons mostly patients choked to death when a major fire engulfed a centrally-airconditioned seven-storey private hospital in the metropolis early Friday.

The fire in the annexe building of the 190-bed AMRI hospital at Dhakuria in south Kolkata was detected at around 3:30 AM by local people who rushed to the gates, but were driven away by the security guards, following which the fire spread swiftly, West Bengal Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim said on Friday.

As smoke billowed out, firemen using ladders with platforms smashed window panes in the facade of the building to rescue patients trapped inside the ICU, ICCU, Intensive Therapy Unit and Critical Care units.

The firemen evacuated patients with pulleys from the upper floors as they were not in a condition to be taken down by ladders put up by the fire brigade all around the building.

Additional Director General, Fire Services, D Biswas said that the fire brigade was informed at 4:10 AM and responded immediately but relatives of victims alleged that there was inordinate delay in the rescue operations.

They also alleged that the medical staff at the hospital fled from the spot instead of rescuing the patients.

Biswas said that patients who died were admitted in the critical care and orthopaedic units and were unable to move. Among the casualties were three staff members, Senior Vice-President S Upadhay said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who visited the hospital, ordered a probe. She also directed cancellation of licence of the hospital.

The fire which was suspected to have originated in the electrical department in the basement of the building swiftly spread, with the third floor and above being affected the most, fire brigade sources said.

Fire Services Minister Javed Khan said the fire spread because of stocks of highly combustible material and though it was controlled the smoke caused problems.

The hospital also did not have proper fire-fighting equipment, he said. An FIR was also lodged against the hospital authorities under non-bailable sections at the direction of the chief minister.

R S Goenka and S K Todi of Emami and Shrachi groups respectively who own the hospital surrendered to the police thereafter.

The state government announced compensation of Rs three lakh each to the next of kin of the victims and offered employment if needed.

AMRI Hospital announced Rs 5 lakh as compensation for the next of kin of those who died, while those injured would be treated free at the hospital.

All dues of those admitted when the fire broke out would be waived. The chief minister urged angry relatives of the victims to go to the state-run SSKM Hospital to identify the bodies.

Wielding lathis, police chased away people who tried to approach the chief minister outside the hospital, but she instructed the police not to resort to such action.

Disaster Management Minister Javed Khan said the National Disaster Response Force team was determing if there was radioactive leakage from the oncology department.

Upadhay said there were 164 patients in the building at the time of the fire. 94 patients who were rescued were shifted to other AMRI and other nearby hospitals.

The ADG Fire Services, however, said if proper fire fighting arrangements existed at the hospital, such a blaze could not have taken place.

Kolkata Municipal Corporation DG (building) Devasish Kar said that the basement was used for storing combustible articles and not for car parking for which it was meant when the building was constructed in 2004-5.

“It is an administrative lapse,” Kar said.

Asked for comment, Upadhay said it would be looked into. He declined to comment on the cancellation of the licence of the hospital.

Hakim said that 250 firemen in 25 fire engines battled the blaze and smoke with a police cordon thrown around the hospital.

Family members of patients vandalised the reception counter aggrieved that no list of the dead and injured was provided. They smashed glass panes at the reception and threw away hospital registers.

Governor M K Narayanan expressed shock and hoped that the state government would take necessary steps to identify the causes of the fire and initiate appropriate action.

President condoles loss of life in Kolkata hospital fire

President Pratibha Patil on Friday condoled the loss of life in the AMRI hospital fire in Kolkata and wished speedy recovery of the injured.

“The President has condoled loss of life in Kolkata hospital fire and wished speedy recovery of the injured,” a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson said on Friday.

She said that the President was making queries of the fire from West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan.