Rajkot's gas furnace grills melt as crematorium overflow with bodies

With the crematorium of Rajkot choking with the influx of COVID patients, frames and structures of furnaces have started melting due to excessive heating. The kin of the COVID victims have been compelled to wait for hours to perform the last rites of the departed souls.

Rajkot: Metal structures of furnaces at some crematoriums in Gujarat's Rajkot have started melting or breaking as they are being used round-the-clock due to the rush of bodies amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In view of the long queues, crematoriums are expanding their boundaries to accommodate the bodies.

The metal frames of gas furnaces, on which the bodies are kept, and chimneys are melting or breaking because of overheating and excessive use, the official said. Rajkot has been reporting 50 COVID-related fatalities every day and the last rites are being performed in line with the COVID protocols.

READ:Guj sees highest one-day rise of 7,410 COVID-19 cases; 73 die

As a result, the iron frames and chimneys have started melting and breaking due to the heat, he said, adding that mechanics are being called to replace those parts.

The kin of the COVID victims have been compelled to wait for hours to perform the last rites of the departed souls.

READ:Long wait at crematoriums in Gujarat amid COVID-19 surge

Gujarat saw its daily Covid tally continue to spiral high with 7,410 new cases on Wednesday, taking its tally to 3,67,616, while the death toll reached 4,995 with 73 fresh fatalities. In April so far, the state has added 59,918 cases at an average of 4,280 daily.

A total of 2,642 patients were discharged, taking the total to 3,23,371, while the number of active cases stands at 39,250. Ahmedabad registered 2,526 cases on Wednesday, followed by Surat with 1,655, Rajkot with 653, Vadodara with 452 and Jamnagar with 308.

READ: Ambulances queue up outside Ahmedabad Civil Hospital

With agency inputs