P Ramesh Kumar & Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, July 22: Saturday’s Haddo Fire Accident has upset the BJP unit of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In a press release issued by BJP, Mr. R Mohan has raised questions over the preparedness of A & N Fire Services. He alleged that the Fire Services reached the site nearly 50 minutes late, when first floor the building was already gutted.
According to reports available here at 10.45 am Saturday a fire broke out from one of the shops, situated opposite to the Haddo Mini Zoo. The fire soon gutted five shops, situated on the first flood of the building while other five shops at the ground floor got serious damages.
Mohan in a press communication today alleged that the residents of the area have made atleast 15 calls to the Fire Brigade but to everyone’s surprise the Fire Personnel Came nearly 50 mnts late.
When contacted the Chief Fire Officer of Fire Services, Mr. Mr. Aynesh Roy told Andaman Sheekha that there was no delay from the side of Fire Services. “There could be delay in receiving the information but we reached at the site within 10 minutes,” the CFO added.
Later talking to Andaman Sheekha Mr. SBS Tyagi the Superintendent of Police also clarified that the fire fighters reached the spot within 10 mints, despite of the fact that there was traffic on road.
Meanwhile, the BJP State President, Mr. R Mohan has also demanded financial help to the ten victims of the fire accident at Haddo. In a letter to the Lt. Governor, the BJP leader urged him to release immediate financial help for the losses suffered by the poor shopkeepers whose shops have been completely destroyed in the blaze. He has also requested the LG to order an inquiry to rule out the possibility of a foul play on the part of the owner of the building to get her premises vacated. Mr Mohan has demanded that the victim shopkeepers may be allotted Municipal shops on priority to enable them to earn the livelihood for their families. They may also be extended financial help to reconstruct their shops on the same location, he added.
