4 dead in fire at hospital treating COVID patients in Nagpur

Four persons died after a fire broke out in a private hospital in Maharashtra’s Nagpur on Friday night. Some injuries have also been reported. The incident occurred at 8.10 pm at the hospital in the Wadi area of the city, said an official.

“The fire reportedly started from an AC unit of the ICU located on the second floor of the hospital. The blaze remained confined to that floor and did not spread further,” said Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC) chief fire officer Rajendra Uchke.

While PTI quoted him as saying that it is a non-COVID hospital, NDTV quoted him as saying it was treating COVID-19 patients.

Several fire tenders were rushed to the hospital, Uchke said, adding that there were 10 patients on the second floor when the fire erupted. “While six patients came out on their own, four others were rescued by the fire brigade,” he said.

He said four people died in the incident and some others were injured. Three dead bodies have been brought to Government Medical College and Hospital, said Dr Avinash Gawande, medical superintendent of the hospital.

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“Around 27 patients at the hospital were shifted to other hospitals. We can’t comment on their health condition now. The hospital has been evacuated,” news agency ANI quoted a police officer as saying.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “Saddened by the hospital fire in Nagpur. My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives. Praying that the injured recover at the earliest.”

Maharashtra is currently grappling with both the rising number of COVID-19 cases and a shortage in vaccines, which has halted the vaccination drive in many centres.

(With inputs from agencies)