Chandigarh: Fire at PGI’s cardiac centre OT during surgery, no casualty

This is the fifth fire incident at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, in the past five months and the second in 2024.

A fire broke out in an operation theatre on the fourth floor of the advance cardiac centre of the premier Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh at 1.30pm on Saturday. Hospital authorities said there was no casualty or injury.

The operation theatre on the fourth floor of the advance cardiac centre at Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, where a fire broke out on Saturday afternoon. (HT Photo)

Medical superintendent Vipin Koushal said the fire occurred in operation theatre-2 of the cardiothoracic and vascular surgery (CTVS) ward when a valve surgery of a 70-year-old woman was underway. The patient was shifted to the intensive care unit, where the surgery resumed.

Dr Koushal said, “Initial reports suggest that the fire occurred after a short circuit, but an investigation is on to ascertain the exact reason.”

This is the fifth fire incident at PGIMER in the past five months and the second in 2024.

Last year, the campus saw two major fire incidents in October. The first was a blaze at Nehru Hospital on October 10 in which 424 patients, including pregnant women and newborn babies, were evacuated.

Another fire followed within a week, this time at the Advanced Eye Centre on October 16. In both cases, sparking in the UPS batteries sparked off the fire.

Meanwhile, Dr Koushal said that the fire control wing of PGIMER was informed immediately and the blaze was brought under control within minutes on Saturday afternoon.

As a preventive measure, he said, glass windows were broken to prevent suffocation.

The medical superintendent said there are four OTs on the floor and after the fire incident two were operational. “We are working to make the third OT functional on priority,” he added.

Sapna, an attendant from Ludhiana, said that after her son’s surgery got over, she was called to the operation theatre but by then smoke engulfed the area. “We were unable to see anything,” she said.

Rozi, a resident of Kharar, recounted how during his relative’s surgery, children and patients were evacuated from the operation theatre to Block A.