Fire claims 8 Covid patients in Ahmedabad hospital ; Guj CM orders probe
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Forensic experts interact with police personnel while inspecting Shrey hospital after a major fire broke out in it in the wee hours, in Ahmedabad. (PTI)
Gandhinagar: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, on Thursday ordered a probe into the fire incident at a Ahmedabad Covid hospital which claimed eight lives on Thursday morning.
The Chief Minister ordered the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Home Sangeeta Singh and ACS Urban Development Mukesh Puri to submit a report within 3 days.
The CM has also announced an aid of Rs 4 lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured, from the CM relief fund.
The prime Minister Narendra Modi has also expressed his condolences for the tragic incident and had a telephonic conversation with the Gujarat CM and Ahmedabad Mayor.
The prime minister tweeted, "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."
The PMO has also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the victim's families and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
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
Jignesh Mevani, who is MLA from Vadgam assembly constituency of Gujarat said in Twitter that his thoughts are with the victim families whose pain is tremendous and he is distressed to hear about the fire incident. He accused that the hospital does not have a fire safety NOC and demanded immediate action against the hospital admin and state officials for this serious lapse.
Distressed to hear about the fire incident at a hospital in Ahmedabad.
— Jignesh Mevani (@jigneshmevani80) August 6, 2020
My thoughts are with the victim families whose pain is tremendous.
The hospital does not even have a fire safety NOC!
Immediately act against the hospital admin and state officials for this serious lapse!
"We are taking the help of fire and forensic experts in the investigation. A trustee of the hospital is being interrogated" reacted Rajendra Asari, JCP, Sector 1,Ahmedabad to ANI.
The fire in the ICU ward of a private dedicated Covid hospital in Ahmedabad claimed the lives of eight patients, including 5 men and 3 women in the wee hours on Thursday. Oneseriously burnt patient is being treated while 40 other patients have been evacuated and shifted to the SVP hospital in Ahmedabad.
According to information, the fire broke out in the ICU ward of 'Shrey hospital', a dedicated Covid-19 hospital in Navrangpura area in Ahmedabad at around 3 a.m. on Thursday.
"Eight patients admitted in the ICU ward have died due to burning and asphyxiation. Looking at the primary information, it is assumed that the fire broke out due to a short circuit. Our officials are investigating the incident with the help of FSL experts. The bodies of the victims are being sent for the post-mortem," said a senior police official of the Navrangpura police station.
The fire has claimed the lives of 5 men and 3 women, all corona patients admitted in the ICU ward, situated on the fourth floor of the hospital building. Several fire fighters were rushed to the spot and within hours brought the fire under control. Shrey hospital, is a 50-bed private hospital declared as a dedicated Covid-19 by the Gujarat government.
"We have shifted over 40 patients admitted in the hospital to the SVP hospital in Ahmedabad. One of the paramedical worker is also badly affected from burns. Stable patients and other patients on Oxygen have also been shifted to the SVP hospital. The shifting process is still on," said a hospital authority.