Following a harrowing fire incident in Kolkata, various reports indicate that nearly nine people died in the accident at the Eastern Railway Headquarters. Sources claim that the fire broke out on the 13th floor of the 14-storied New Koilaghat building on Strand Road at six in the evening on Monday. While the fire is under control now, it is yet unknown how the accident happened or what the source of the fire was.
According to official sources, the dead include four firemen, a police officer, a railway officer, and a security guard. The sources added that five of the nine bodies were discovered during rescue operations in an elevator on the 12th floor. The officials assume that they suffocated and burned to death inside the shaft. While seven bodies were recovered on Monday, the officials discovered two more today.
According to reports, the dead had been on their way to the top floor to rescue those who were trapped in the building. Stuck inside the elevator, they might have lost air supply and succumbed to the fumes. However, official sources point out that it is not clear why the rescuers attempted their efforts in an elevator since the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) bars the use of lifts in case of a fire accident.
Meanwhile, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has ordered a high-level investigation into the accident to identify the cause of the fire. The minister even took to Twitter to express his grief over the incident.
Moreover, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted expressing his condolence.
