Ahmedabad: A blaze in the wee hours at a private hospital here has left eight COVIDd-19 patients dead, a fire brigade official said on Thursday. The victims include five men and three women, who were being treated at the ICU ward of the COVID-19 designated Shrey Hospital in Navrangpura area of Ahmedabad, the official said.
The fire broke out around 3.30 am on Thursday, he said.
Around 40 other COVID-19 patients at the facility were rescued and shifted to a civic hospital in the city, he said.
"Eight coronavirus patients admitted in the ICU ward of Shrey Hospital have died due to the fire, which has been doused," said an official of the Ahmedabad Fire Department.
The cause of the fire is not known yet, he said.
According to Shrey hospital’s ward boy Chirag, one patient Arvindbhai Bhavsar was chained to the bed as he was in the habit of removing his oxygen mask. He died because his chain could not be removed.
ETV Bharat spoke to the person who first informed the fire brigade. Bhavin Shah, who informed the fire brigade, said, “He saw people screaming and one young man was engulfed in a ball of fire possibly because his PPE kit had caught fire. It was scary. I somehow came out safe covering myself with a blanket. I also bumped into the door of the lift.”
Bhavinbhai, his sister, brother-in-law and nephew were getting treatment for coronavirus. All of them managed to escape from fire covering themselves with blankets.
Home secretary Sangeeta Singh, Additional chief secretary Mukesh Puri and other senior officials reached the hospital to inquire.
All the officials wore PPE kit while visiting the hospital. They made a detailed inquiry about the functioning of the hospital.
Timeline of fire accident:
- 3:10 am: Fire brigade received a call about the accident.
- 3:20 am: 15 fire brigade vehicles arrived at the hospital.
- 3:30 am: All living patients were rescued and brought out of the hospital.
- 4:00 am: Fire was brought under control.
- 4:20 am: Bhavin Solanki and other officials reached hospital.
- 4:25 am: Fire brigade confirmed the death of 8 persons.
- 4:45 am: Patients were taken to SVP hospital by ambulances.
- 7:30 am: Relatives of patients created a ruckus after they did not get satisfactory replies.
- 8:00 am: Mayor Bijal Patel reached the hospital.
- 8:15 am: Bodies were sent for post mortem.
- 8:30 am: Health secretary Jayanti Ravi reached the hospital.
- 9:00 am: Prime Minister tweeted expressing condolence for the victims.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths in his home state.
"Saddened by the tragic hospital fire in Ahmedabad. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to CM @vijayrupanibjp Ji and Mayor @ibijalpatel Ji regarding the situation. Administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected (sic)," he tweeted this morning.
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Saddened by the tragic hospital fire in Ahmedabad. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to CM @vijayrupanibjp Ji and Mayor @ibijalpatel Ji regarding the situation. Administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 6, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">Saddened by the tragic hospital fire in Ahmedabad. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to CM @vijayrupanibjp Ji and Mayor @ibijalpatel Ji regarding the situation. Administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 6, 2020Saddened by the tragic hospital fire in Ahmedabad. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to CM @vijayrupanibjp Ji and Mayor @ibijalpatel Ji regarding the situation. Administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 6, 2020
A probe into the incident has been ordered by Gujarat Chief Minter Vijay Rupani and the hospital has been sealed.
"Sangeeta Singh, Additional Chief Secretary (Home Department), will be leading the probe. The Chief Minister has ordered for a report within three days," read a statement by Mr Rupani's office.
"Ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the hospital fire in Ahmedabad. Rs. 50,000 each would be given to those injured due to the hospital fire," a tweet by the Prime Minister's office read.
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Ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the hospital fire in Ahmedabad. Rs. 50,000 each would be given to those injured due to the hospital fire.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 6, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">Ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the hospital fire in Ahmedabad. Rs. 50,000 each would be given to those injured due to the hospital fire.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 6, 2020Ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the hospital fire in Ahmedabad. Rs. 50,000 each would be given to those injured due to the hospital fire.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 6, 2020
It is to be noted that with 1,073 new coronavirus positive cases, Gujarat's COVID-19 tally reached 66,777 on Wednesday. The number of deceased has gone up to 2,557, an official said.
(With inputs from PTI)
