By IANS,
Kolkata : Noting the failure of the fire brigade to use jump cushions to save lives in the March 2010 Stephen Court fire tragedy in the city, a West Bengal minister Monday said a high level investigation will be ordered in the matter.
“At that time, the fire department had three jump cushions. If used, they could have saved many precious lives. I will request the government for a high level investigation, preferably by the Central Bureau of Investigation as to why they were not used,” state Disaster Management Minister Javed Khan said.
Khan also said the government would be acquiring new jump cushions as well as other modern equipment to meet future fire exigencies.
The March 23 fire at the landmark British-era building in the heart of city’s bustling Park Street claimed 43 lives. Several people entrapped in the burning building jumped to death as ill equipped rescuers and firemen failed to reach or rescue them.
The then Left Front government under chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had constituted an 11-member committee to probe the matter.