A day after a massive fire had broken out in a godown, Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim on Sunday said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has asked him to form a high-powered committee to undertake a fire safety audit of such facilities in the city.
The major fire that had broken out in the godown in Tangra area on Saturday evening was brought under control after 15 hours of firefighting.
Altogether 15 fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames that had engulfed the godown and spread to an adjacent building, an official of the fire department said.
"The Chief Minister has asked me to form a high-powered committee, comprising police, fire department and corporation officials, to ascertain the number of godowns which are in congested areas and at risk in terms of fire safety parameters. The government will act as per the report of the panel," Kolkata Municipal Corporation Mayor Firhad Hakim said after visiting the fire incident site.
Hakim, who is also urban development and municipal affairs minister, said a forensic team will visit the site to ascertain reasons for the fire that continued to rage for a long time.
According to the official, the godown had rexine (synthetic leather) and other inflammable objects, including some chemicals, camphor oil and alcohol.
"If it was just a rexine godown, the fire would not have burnt for such a long time. Officials of the forensic department will come and ascertain the cause," he said.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal did not want to make any comment on the cause of the fire and said a forensic team will investigate.
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