Wednesday, March 24, 2010

In Memoriam

This does not exactly come under the umbrage of feminism but some things are so much bigger than that.This is in memory of all those who lost their lives yesterday in a Tragic Fire Accident in one of the Landmark buildings of Kolkata.

A massive fire at Kolkata’s Stephen Court, a heritage building in the heart of the city has killed 24 people and left about 18 injured, eight of whom are critical.


Firemen recovered 17 bodies overnight as they went from door to door on the 5th, 6th and 7th floor of the building. Only 12 of these bodies have been identified so far.

Stephen Court is a 150-year-old building on Park Street, home to two of the city’s best known restaurants – the iconic Flury’s and Peter Cat.

The fire began at 2.15 pm on Tuesday. It was brought under control at about 10.30 pm.

Initial findings suggest a short circuit or cylinder burst may have caused it.

The fire, that may have started in a lift between the 5th and 6th floors soon spread upwards and sideways, forcing people out of windows onto narrow parapets and ledges as they waited to be rescued. Reports said at least one woman missed her step and fell five floors below.
The fire brigade dispatched just one truck that too without proper equipments initially.the later trucks got stuck in a "traffic jam".The Government is offering 1 lakh as compensation to victims' families.(thank you.that definitely makes up for the loss.).and i can't help but be angry at people for being so careless in their lifestyles.For Godsake,GROW UP!

please pray for the dead.Lets hope such a meaningless loss of life never happens again.RIP.

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,


Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone.

Silence the pianos and with muffled drum

Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.



Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead

Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead,

Put crépe bows round the white necks of the public doves,

Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.



He was my North, my South, my East and West,

My working week and my Sunday rest,

My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song,

I thought that love would last forever: 'I was wrong'



The stars are not wanted now, put out every one;

Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;

Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.

For nothing now can ever come to any good.
                                                                          -WH Auden,Funeral Blues

2 comments:

Mural! said...

nice poem......
yes does feel a bit eerie......is peter cat still there and running?

I was there just last week and was turned back for lack of seating, feels strange knowing that a place one frequents becomes the site of a tragedy

Lucy Fur said...

everything is still there.business is a little slow obviously because people don't like going there anymore.Its rather terrible with dead bodies still being dug out and vultures hovering on top of the building.i hope it gets restored soon.Its the longest I haven been without park street.thank you for your comment.:)