One patient dies, 58 evacuated after fire at Gorakhpur’s BRD Medical College
The patient was suffering from respiratory problem and was on ventilator; suffocation might be the cause of his death, says chief superintendent of the hospital
GORAKHPUR At least one patient died and four others, including a staff nurse, were found unconscious in the intensive care unit of medicine ward no. 14 when a massive fire broke out at the BRD Medical College late on Thursday night. Fifty-eight patients were evacuated, of which 12 were in ICU on ventilators, said hospital authorities.
Fire fighters doused the flames after two hours of efforts. The deceased was identified as Akhand Pratap Singh 50, of a village near Khajni. Chief Superintendent of the hospital Dr Rajesh Kumar Singh confirmed that the patient was suffering from respiratory problem and was on ventilator. Suffocation might be the cause of his death, he added.
District magistrate Krishna Karunesh said an inquiry committee comprising chief fire officer and power corporation officials had been set up to find out the cause of fire. Medical college Authorities also an initiated inquiry to find out any lapses in the hospital’s fire-fighting system. They, however, suspected that an electric shot circuit might be the cause.
The DM, along with SSP (Gorakhpur) Gaurav Grover, and other senior authorities, reached the spot and monitored the rescue operations.
Officials said 58 patients were undergoing treatment in the medicine ward when the smoke started billowing out at 10.15pm. Doctors informed senior authorities, after which the hospital staff, with support of attendants, started shifting the patients to other wards.
College authorities suspended power supply to the building, following which the entire ward plunged into darkness. Medical store owners, other traders and medical students rushed to the ward to aid the rescue operations.
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