Amma suspends officials, announces relief

Within few hours of a fire breaking out in a private school in Kumbakonam — which claimed 86 lives — heads have started rolling. T...

Within few hours of a fire breaking out in a private school in Kumbakonam — which claimed 86 lives — heads have started rolling. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa has ordered the immediate suspension of the AEO (Assistant Education Officer), DEEO (District Elementary Education Officer) and CEO (Chief Education Officer).

Jayalalithaa, who arrived at the spot by helicopter from Chennai this afternoon, spoke to the media after visiting the school and hospital. She said a total of 80 children (28 boys, 38 girls and the rest still unidentified) died, while 30, including 14 boys and 16 girls, were injured.

The chief minister added that the closure of the school had been ordered and the government would transfer the remaining students to other schools soon. Action would be taken against the school management for their negligence, she said.

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Reiterating that the incident was due to the ‘‘criminal negligence’’ of the school management and educational authorities, Jayalalithaa said the last inspection of the school was undertaken three years ago.

She said the school — which had 870 students — had a small common entrance which also doubled as an exit and a narrow staircase leading to the first floor where the blaze occurred. Stating that the fire broke out in the kitchen on the ground floor and spread to the roof, the CM said students on the first floor were unable to get out due to the rush of students from the ground floor.

Expressing her condolences to the bereaved families she said she would pray for the speedy recovery of the injured students. The chief minister later announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 1 lakh for the families of those who died, Rs 25,000 for the critically injured and Rs 10,000 for those who suffered minor injuries.