16 COVID patients among 18 died in fire at Gujarat hospital
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Ahmadabad: At least 18 COVID patients are believed to have died in a fire that broke out in the early hours of Saturday at Bharuch Welfare Hospital in Gujarat. According to the district administration, 16 patients and two hospital staffs died in the fire and resultant smoke.
A total of around 70 patients were admitted at the four-storeyed hospital, of which 24 were in the intensive care unit.
All the survivors, rescued by locals and firefighters, have now been shifted to nearby hospitals.
Zuber Patel, the trustee of the hospital, as quoted by news agency ANI said, "It's an unfortunate incident not only for us but for the entire Bharuch. With the police and administration's help, we could shift patients to other hospitals. 14 patients and two staff nurses lost their lives in the incident."
Videos posted to social media showed a part of the hospital in flames and patients being evacuated.
Meanwhile, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has expressed his condolences and has announced to provide financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh to the families of each of the deceased.
"I express my condolences to the patients, doctors and hospital staff who lost their lives in the fire accident at Bharuch Hospital. The state government will provide assistance of Rs 4 lakh to the families of each of the victims of the accident," tweeted Rupani.
Recently, India has been reporting several fire incidents in hospitals which has claimed the lives of dozens of coronavirus patients. A few weeks ago, a fire had killed four people at a hospital in Surat, another city in Gujarat. At least 22 coronavirus patients died at a hospital in the neighbouring state of Maharashtra when a leak cut off their oxygen supply. Two days later, a fire at another hospital in the state left at least 13 Covid-19 patients dead.
