Kolkata: Tension ran high among the patients and their family members at a private nursing home in Howrah after a fire broke out on the second floor of the nursing home late Monday night.
Three fire tenders immediately swung into action to douse the flame at the Howrah nursing home .
After being informed the police reached the spot and cordoned off the entire area to
prevent any untoward incidents.
The security staff members of the nursing home also helped the firefighters in rescue operation.
The patients were immediately evacuated from the second floor of the building.
The fire officials reached to the spot. Initially, they faced some difficulties as the room was filled with black smoke. Eyewitnesses told the police that they spotted smoke billowing out of nursing home and informed the matter to the fire brigade.
It may be mentioned here that some local residents also took part in the rescue operation.
No injury or casualty has been reported so far in this regard. The fire officials broke the situation under control and doused the flame. According to the preliminary investigation the fire officials suspect that an oxygen cylinder exploded leading to the fire. They are yet to ascertain the real cause of the bursting of cylinder.
As the smoke covered the second floor the patients got panicked immediately after the incident. Police are fire officials are investigating if there was adequate fire fighting mechanism in place. A detailed probe has been initiated. Steps might be taken against the nursing home authorities if they are found to be flouting the fire safety norms. The exact cause of the fire and the extent of the damage are yet to be confirmed by the fire officials.
In a separate incident,a 22-year-old woman was charred to death in her in-laws house at Moynaguri.
The victim, Prabhadini Roy got married a year ago. The family members of the victim alleged that she was set on fire by her husband. While the accused family members claimed that she committed suicide.
Family members of the victim alleged that she had been subjected to both mental and physical torture at her in-laws house. The victim told her family members about the torture but they could not comprehend that it could lead to her death, a family member told the police. Police have started a detailed probe into the death of the victim. The body has been sent for the post mortem examination.