Inspection teams in Kolkata find fire and safety lapses in other hospitals too

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Three days after a blaze in the city's AMRI hospital killed 93 people, a West Bengal government team on Monday inspected the institution's basement to check possible radiation from machines and other experts reviewed its fire safety facilities.

Reports claims there have been shocking lapses over fire security and implementation of emergency measures.

A news channel even claimed another city hospital - the 'posh' Woodlands - was found to be lacking in fire & safety.

One of the similarities to t he AMRI hospital is Woodland's lack of a wide road leading towards it. Fire engines were unable to reach the scene during the AMRI blaze and the street leading up to it was found to be too narrow.

Back at the scene of Friday's fire, a three-member team headed by Subir Ganguly, head of radiotherapy, Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College hospital, visited the Advanced Medicare & Research Institute (AMRI) hospital and inspected the basement, from where the fire started, as several radiotherapy machines were kept there.

"We inspected the radiotherapy department and all the medical equipments there. There is no fear of radiation from the machines, though they have been badly affected by fire," Ganguly said.

The team will be submitting its report to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

A five-member probe team headed by D.P. Biswas, additional director general of the fire department, inspected the fire safety measures at the hospital's facilities, including the blood bank and the pharmacy.

The team later visited several other hospitals. It is slated to inspect the city's shopping malls too on Tuesday.

A forensic team which was earlier unable to collect evidence due to collection of water in the basement also visited the spot. A probe team headed by Joint Commissioner of Police Damayanti Sen also visited the premises.

In another development, the Siliguri municipality under Darjeeling district on Monday sealed the basement of a private nursing home in Siliguri for violating fire safety norms.

"The municipality has been warning the hospital since long to remove the hazardous materials stocked in the basement. The basement too was illegally constructed," said D.P. Saha, a member of the municipality.

Correctional Administration Minister Shankar Chakraborty, who visited the Balurghat Hospital in South Dinajpur district over complaints of inadequate fire safety measures, ordered the authorities to get the proper facilities within a week.

"I visited the hospital and found the fire safety measures are inadequate. They have stored several objects which are vulnerable to fire. They have been ordered to remove them and get proper safety equipments," said Chakrabarty.

Hospital's Acting Superintendent Brijesh Saha claimed the safety measures were adequate.

"We will comply with the minister's order but our safety measures are up-to-date."