Ahmedabad Covid-19 hospital fire leaves 8 patients dead, forty others rescued

AHMEDABAD: Eight Covid patients including three women and five men lost their lives as a fire broke out in the intensive care unit in a private hospital in Navrangpura in Ahmedabad on early Thursday morning.
The fire broke out at around 3.30 am allegedly due to short circuit in the ICU. While 49 patients were admitted in the hospital, remaining 41 patients have been shifted to Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation run Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Hospital for further treatment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his grief on twitter and wrote “Saddened by the tragic hospital fire in Ahmedabad. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to CM Vijay Rupaniji, and Mayor Bijal Patel regarding the situation. Administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected.”

The Prime Minister also announced that “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.”

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has ordered an immediate inquiry into the incident and Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Home Sangeeta Singh and ACS Urban Development Mukesh Puri has been asked to submit a report within three days on the incident.

Meanwhile senior officials including Gujarat Health Secretary Jayanti Ravi have reached the hospital.

35 firefighters who had reached the hospital have been quarantined as they had come into direct contact with the Covid positive patients.

Meanwhile the families of the patients have reached the hospital after learning about the fire from media reports and have been alleging that no one from the hospital even bothered to inform them about the fire.