Stephen Court residents allowed in to take out essentials
March 26th, 2010 - 4:01 pm ICT by IANSKolkata, March 26 (IANS) Residents of Stephen Court were allowed to visit their flats for half hour to take out essential belongings Friday, three days after a raging fire engulfed the heritage building on happening Park Street.
However, Kolkata Police and Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) did not allow residents to go into the flats alone. They were accompanied by members of the rescue team to avoid any accident as a major portion of the building has been damaged by Tuesday afternoon’s fire that killed 25 people. About a dozen people are still missing.
An elderly resident could not get into his fifth floor flat, even with the help of rescue officials, because of the debris piled up outside his door.
However, a sixth floor resident managed to get in. “I went into my flat and got my essential belongings. Nothing has happened to my flat.”
Many residents said they wanted more time to access their homes.
“It will be very nice if we are allowed to access our flats for some more time for at least two-three days so that we can take out more belongings,” said one.
Police Commissioner Gautam Mohan Chakrabarti said: “Our first priority is to clear the debris and find out dead bodies if there are any because 12 people are still missing. We have allowed the residents to take out their belongings but we will not allow anyone to stay in their flats.”
The fire in the heart of the city’s Park Street broke out Tuesday afternoon and rapidly spread in the residence-office block, trapping scores.
Six people died Tuesday after jumping from the upper floors in a desperate bid to save themselves. Eighteen charred bodies were found by Wednesday morning from the sixth floor. One more body was found Friday morning while clearing the debris.
The building, housing the iconic Flurys tea room, was built by an Armenian Stephen Arathoon in 1910.
- Two more bodies found in Stephen Court, toll 26 (Lead) - Mar 26, 2010
- Body found in Stephen Court, toll rises to 25 - Mar 26, 2010
- Death count in Kolkata blaze rises to 30 (Second Lead) - Mar 26, 2010
- 20 months on, Stephen Court remains a black hole - Dec 12, 2011
- Hundred days after fire: Stephen Court is a ghost building - Jun 30, 2010
- Once glittering Stephen Court now a haunted house - Mar 25, 2010
- Stephen Court death toll 43, more bodies feared (Roundup) - Mar 30, 2010
- 11-member committee to probe Stephen Court fire - Mar 29, 2010
- Kolkata fire toll 33, more bodies may be buried (Lead) - Mar 28, 2010
- Another body found, opposition wants probe into Kolkata fire - Mar 28, 2010
- Missing key could have saved lives at Stephen Court - Mar 24, 2010
- Kolkata fire toll is 24, caretakers arrested (Roundup) - Mar 24, 2010
- Eight more bodies recovered at Stephen Court, toll 42 (Lead) - Mar 29, 2010
- Denied entry, fire-hit Stephen Court residents protest - Mar 25, 2010
- Two more bodies found, Stephen Court death count 36 - Mar 29, 2010
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