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8 Covid-19 patients die in hospital fire in India

News Desk || risingbd.com

Published: 12:40, 6 August 2020   Update: 06:40, 6 August 2020
8 Covid-19 patients die in hospital fire in India

A fire that broke out in the intensive care ward of a private hospital in India’s western city of Ahmedabad early on Thursday (August 6) left eight Covid-19 patients dead, officials said as they launched a probe into the incident.

Police stopped angry relatives from entering the Shrey Hospital in Gujarat state’s largest city after the tragedy which, according to emergency services, was caused by a medical staff member’s personal protective equipment (PPE) catching alight.

“A staffer whose PPE caught fire ran out of the ward to douse it but the fire spread rapidly to the whole ward,” said Rajesh Bhatt, additional chief fire officer of the Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services.

“Five men and three women, who were undergoing treatment for the novel coronavirus were not in a position to escape... they died due to smoke and heat caused by the fire,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a tweet said “he was saddened by the tragic hospital fire” in his home state.

“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 would be given to those injured due to the hospital fire,” PM Modi said.

In Mumbai, India’s financial capital, hospital staff waded through corridors flooded with rain water to enter wards following torrential monsoon season downpours.

India’s coronavirus cases rose by 56,282 on Thursday, taking the total to 1.96 million including 40,699 deaths._Agencies

Dhaka/AI