The barricades before Stephen Court, the top two floors of which were devastated in a blaze on March 23 leaving 43 dead, were removed today for the first time to allow people to collect their belongings.
The barricades before Stephen Court, the top two floors of which were devastated in a blaze on March 23 leaving 43 dead, were removed today for the first time to allow residents and employees to collect their belongings.
Residents and office employees were able to enter flats and offices after signing a bond not to use power consuming equipment like air-conditioners, lifts to take away clothes,
papers and valuables.
"The barricades were lifted from the pavements adjoining the building on Park Street to make way for the pedestrians as the debris removal work is over," assistant commissioner of police Amit Banerjee told PTI.
"No furniture or other large movable property has been allowed to be taken out," Banerjee clarified.
The officer said that the people in the building would be allowed to stay only after officials of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and power utility company, CESC, inspected the flats and offices.
Residents who entered the building this morning said it was difficult to stay without electricity and water supply, while everything in the flats were still wet from the water sprayed during the fire.
Flats were mostly intact upto the third floor of the six-storey building, K K Saha, a resident said.
Employees took out wet and charred files, computers and files from their offices.
"Records of seven years and important files were damaged," Nikhil Gupta of GBT Limited, a transport company said.
Employees of Peter Cat, Silver Grill Bar and other restaurants on the ground floor were working amidst the dark and damp with the smell of rancid food inside unsold for the past seven days.
"Another week will be required to open the restaurant. We are now checking the inventory, stock and cleaning the restaurant and bars," employees of Silver Grill Bar and Restaurant said.
Music store Music World was still closed, while pavement stalls selling cigarette, soft drinks, magazines and newspapers were yet to return.
Cobbler Jagjit Das, a resident of Banka district in Bihar, said, "the police today have allowed me to sit here. I was sitting idle at home for the past one week since the fire broke out. I lost earnings of nearly Rs 1,500."
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}