Deadly Blaze Rips Through Indian Hospital

More than 70 people have been killed in a fire after medical staff allegedly abandoned patients as they fled a hospital in Kolkata, in the east Indian state of West Bengal.

Police have filed a case against the private AMRI hospital, where a blaze started in the early hours of the morning in the basement but spread quickly to the upper floors.

And with 73 people dead, chief minister of the state of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee said: "It's a very serious offense, and we will take the strongest action."

It is suspected the fire was started by sparks from the electrical department and though dozens of patients were rescued, state officials said hospital staff did nothing to aid in the rescue operations.

Subrata Mukherjee, state minister for public health engineering, said: "It was horrifying that the hospital authorities did not make any effort to rescue trapped patients. Senior hospital authorities ran away after the fire broke out."

Many of the dead suffocated as thick, acrid, black smoke spread through the building. Some of the bodies have been found but others remain inside.

Firefighters are now trying to locate a number of oxygen cylinders as it is feared there could be secondary explosions.

It has also emerged that it took firefighters two hours to react after the alarm was raised.

Fire services minister Javed Khan said the flames spread because of stocks of highly combustible material and that it was still not under control.

The hospital also did not have proper firefighting equipment, he said.

Angry relatives have been arriving at the hospital and throwing stones at police because they claim they are not being given enough information.

Hospital staff have said a total of 160 patients were in the building when the fire broke out.

Khokon Chakravathi, among the distraught relatives gathered outside to follow the rescue operation, said: "My mother is in the intensive care unit.

"She's 70-years-old. I don't know if she is alive or not."