A day after the hotel blast killed nine people in central Kolkata, the West Bengal government on Thursday pulled up nine guest houses, four restaurants cum bars on Mirza Ghalib Street for allegedly failing to comply with the fire safety norms.
“They have been asked to respond within 24 hours as to why a closure order under Section 37A of the Fire Act should not be issued against them for non-compliance with fire-safety measures, despite repeated notices directing the establishments to rectify the identified shortcomings,” a fire department official said.
Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul said a committee comprising officials of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, fire department, police and PWD would examine whether buildings in the area complied with fire-safety and construction norms.
Highlighting the hazards posed by these establishment, Anil Sharma, Director General of Fire and Emergency Services, said, “They don’t have adequate fire safety measures in place despite being given several notices by the fire department, which poses an imminent threat to life and property.”
Nine people died and 80 were rescued in a central Kolkata building fire, with asphyxia being the primary cause of death. West Bengal minister Kaushik Chowdhury praised the Fire Brigade’s prompt response but criticised severe safety norm violations, including a lack of windows in cramped hotel rooms.
The blaze at Shikha Inn on Mirza Ghalib Street, near the New Market area, came barely 48 hours after another hotel fire in Tarapith killed nine people, putting the safety standards of the state’s hospitality sector under renewed scrutiny..