Kolkata: An almost deserted AMRI Hospital,
where more than 90 people have died in a devastating fire,
wore a haunted look on Sunday as only a few patients remained at
the facility.
Even as the annexe building, where the fire occurred,
was sealed, there were only 18 patients at the unaffected main
building, hospital sources said.
"At present there are only 18 patients at the main
building, which has 182-bed capacity," the sources said.
While no new admission has been made since Friday`s
gruesome incident, most of the patients have been shifted to
other hospitals in the city.
The deathly silence inside the hospital was broken only
by the shrill ringing of bell by a fire tender.
Smoke was seen emanating from some parts of the debris
and water jet from a fire tender was used to douse that, fire
brigade officials said.
Hospital sources said that doctors and nurses were
attending to the patients in the ITU and wards which were
functioning properly.
However, operations were not being carried out as the
old block did not have heart care or cathlab facilities.
Several people, however, gathered outside the hospital
and placed wreaths and lit candles to pay respect to the
hapless patients who died inhaling the poisonous smoke from
the fire in the basement of the centrally-airconditioned
seven-storied annexe building of the multi-speciality
hospital.
A silent procession was taken out in the evening from in
front of the hospital to pay respect to the dead and to
protest the deaths of so many patients.
Actors from Tollywood and law school students took part
in the procession holding candles from AMRI Hospital to nearby
Ramakrishna Mission headquarters in front of which the candles
were placed.
PTI
