By IANS,
Kolkata: The toll in the AMRI Hospital fire — the worst fire tragedy in any hospital in India — Saturday reached 91, the hospital management said.
“The total deaths stand at 91,” S. Upadhyay, senior vice president, Advanced Medicare Research Institute (AMRI) Hospitals, said in a statement.
As many as 91 patients and staffers died a horrible death in Kolkata’s well-known hospital when a blaze in the basement engulfed its annexe building early Friday with noxious smoke, trapping helpless patients while doctors and others fled to safety.
In yet another goof-up, the hospital – which had Friday claimed three of its nurses had died in the tragedy – said only two nurses have died in the accident.
“We have lost two of our staff members who showed exemplary courage in saving many lives yesterday,” Upadhyay said.
The pre-dawn fire broke out at 3.30 a.m on Friday, catching many in their sleep. While most nurses, doctors and other staffers were able to get away, many critically ill patients suffocated to death in their hospital beds.
The tragedy unfolded over many hours. Some were suffocated, some were too infirm to escape the toxic fumes. The lucky few were brought down the side of the four-storey glass facade building using ropes and ladders, even as thousands watched in horror.