20160601 India Afternoon fire at SCB hosp cardiology dept sparks panic
India May 31 2016 “Building”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 0 or unknown Injured : injured 0 or unknown
Afternoon fire at SCB hosp cardiology dept sparks panic
Updated: 2016-06-01-08:16
A major mishap was averted in the cardiology department of SCB Medical College and Hospital on Tuesday after fire broke out in the second floor of the building. No one was injured in the mishap as patients were immediately evacuated from the affected area.
Hospital staff said around 3.30pm some of them noticed smoke billowing out from a corner of the duty room on the second floor of the building. They raised an alarm. At least 100 patients undergoing treatment in the ICUs and wards were immediately shifted out of the building.
“I was sitting beside my husband’s bed when I heard screams. I carried my husband on my shoulder and rushed out of the ward,” said Sebati, wife of a patient.
Three fire tenders managed to douse the flames within a few minutes.
Health minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, principal secretary of health department Arti Ahuja, Cuttack collector Nirmal Mishra rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation. “All the patients are safe. Adequate measures are being taken to ensure proper treatment to them,” said health minister.
Patients were shifted back to their departments by the time of filing this report.
Fire officials suspected short circuit as the reason behind the fire. The officials raised concerns as the five storey cardiology department, known as Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences (ICS), clearly lacked fire fighting measures. “The building is not at all equipped to deal with fire mishaps. There was absolutely no fire fighting equipment in the building,” said a senior fire official.
Health minister said the collector has been directed to conduct a thorough probe into the mishap. “We will discuss the issue in detail and take necessary steps to avoid such a situation in future,” said Nayak.
The hospital is not new to such incidents. This is not the first time that a fire mishap has been reported in the government run hospital. Earlier, incidents of fire have been reported in the nuerosurgery, plastic surgery departments of SCB. Last year, the outbreak of fire was also reported in Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre and Sishu BHawan also. Despite all these mishaps, the government is yet to learn any lesson.
Web Source: THE TIMES OF INDIA
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/cuttack/Afternoon-fire-at-SCB-hosp-cardiology-dept-sparks-panic/articleshow/52530479.cms