20211106 Smoke, cries, panic: Rescue officials recount horrific scenes as Maharashatra hospital fire claims 11
India Nov 06 2021 “Building” “Hospitals”
Dead : dead more than 10 Burnout : 1 to 29 Injured : injured 1 to 9
Smoke, cries, panic: Rescue officials recount horrific scenes as Maharashatra hospital fire claims 11
Updated: 2021-11-06
NEW DELHI: At least 11 coronavirus patients, mostly senior citizens, were killed and several others injured after a major fire broke out in the ICU of the district civil hospital in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar on Saturday.
Fire brigade personnel, who had tough time dousing the flames, had to break the window panes to bring the blaze under control.
11 Covid-19 patients dead, seven injured in fire at Ahmednagar civil hospital ICU; probe ordered
As many as 11 Covid-19 patients died and seven others were injured after a fire broke out in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Ahmednagar civil hospital on Saturday. Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has ordered a probe into the fire incident. The chief minister also expressed
There were 17 patients inside the ward, out of which 15 were on ventilator or oxygen support, which made the rescue operation more tricky.
The rescue personnel recalled scenes of panic and chaos as they entered the ward, with patients desperately crying for help as fire engulfed the unit.
“Saving them was the priority. But due to their critical condition, to remove the oxygen support and bring them out was a tough decision,” an official said.
“After discussion, we decided to bring them out anyhow and later put them back on oxygen or other support systems,” he added.
There was smoke everywhere, and a senior fire brigade official said that rather than flames, the smoke might have proven more lethal.
Most of those who died were aged between 65 to 83, according to hospital officials.
Probe ordered Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has ordered a probe into the fire incident. The chief minister also expressed condolences over the incident.
Following the probe order by Thackeray, an inquiry committee was constituted to find out the cause of the fire that killed 11 Covid-19 patient. “An inquiry committee has been appointed. Once the committee files a report, the picture will become clear,” Union minister Bharati Pawar said.
Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope has announced an ex gratia amount of Rs 5 lakh each for the kin of those who were killed in the fire mishap.
Health department sources said that there are two wings of ICU in Ahmednagar civil hospital. One on the first floor and the second on the ground floor, where the fire broke out.
A fire audit had been carried out at the hospital, but all necessary systems were not in place for want of funds, an official claimed.
After the recent fire audit, the hospital had been asked to install an effective fire-fighting system including a pipeline and sprinkler system, Shankar Misal, chief fire officer of Ahmednagar municipal corporation, said.
But the work was incomplete due to “want of funds”, though the hospital had fire extinguishers, he said.
Web Source: The Times of India