Cell towers, source of fire, were installed without permission, says Reports

Kolkata: The Bhowanipore police, in its preliminary investigation, has zeroed in on the two mobile towers as the point where the fire had originated on Monday, contradicting initial reports suggesting that the source of the blaze could have been the library section where medical books and documents were gutted.

These mobile towers were installed on the roof of the six-storeyed Ronald Ross Block allegedly in violation of the rules and also without obtaining prior permission.

The investigators suspect that a short circuit in one of the two towers could have caused the fire, which soon engulfed the library, located close to the mobile towers. The fire brigade officials are also not ruling out the possibility about one of the two mobile towers being the origin of the blaze.

The police, meanwhile, is learnt to have summoned two officials of a cellular company for questioning and has also asked them to furnish documents related to the installation of the two towers.

The move by the investigators came after medical superintendent-cum-vice principal of the state-run super-speciality hospital, Karabi Boral, lodged a complaint about the fire with the Bhowanipore police station late on Monday night.

On Tuesday morning Kolkata mayor and fire and emergency services minister Sovan Chatterjee visited the hospital, and held a meeting with the authorities there, including Dr Boral, about the fire safety measures.

After the Monday’s incident, it was learnt that the fire extinguishers kept on the top floor of the hospital building were not utilised to douse the flames.

Meanwhile, following chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s direction on Monday, two fire tenders have been stationed on the hospital premises with a fire officer and his team to remain available round the clock.