‘Stephen Court, where 43 died 15 yrs ago, is fire-safe now’
Times of India | 1 May 2025
12 Kolkata: A man jumping to his death from the Burrabazar hotel on Tuesday night brought back memories of the 2010 blaze at Stephen Court on Park Street, where several people took a fatal plunge to escape the flames. Forty-three people at Stephen Court either charred or jumped to death in the fire 15 years ago.
The ill-fated building—a Park Street landmark—has since taken multiple measures to prevent fires and shield residents. The building association has created a narrow corridor that now runs around the fourth, fifth and sixth floors of the building—the most affected portions in the fire—where people can take refuge in an emergency. The association also built an open staircase from the roof to the ground floor that acts as a parallel escape route. Each of the four blocks is now interconnected, allowing people to move from one part to another without using the lift or stairs.
These measures were enough to reduce casualties or eventualities like the Burrabazar blaze, said Debashish Guha Niyogi, secretary of Stephen Court Welfare Association. "After an assessment, we realised a few simple steps could help save lives. We implemented them over eight years, and now Stephen Court is a fire safe building," said Guha Niyogi, also a resident of the building.
The fifth and sixth floors were rebuilt, conforming to fire department and KMC safety norms. "While most residents left the building after the fire, they have now returned. Among the safety steps is a new water reservoir and a refurbished electric system. Water from our reservoir helped douse a fire in a nearby restaurant last year," said Guha Niyogi.