Fire at Lucknow’s SGPGIMS leaves two dead

Two patients died and two others were reportedly injured, when a fire broke out on the first floor of the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) on Monday noon

Two patients died and two others were reportedly injured, when a fire broke out on the first floor of the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) on Monday noon. The first floor houses the operation theatre and post-operative care ward.

Rescue operations out at SGPGIMS in Lucknow on Monday after a fire broke out in the OT complex. (Mushtaq Ali/HT)

Reacting quickly to the incident, the state government ordered a high-level inquiry into it, while also ordering a safety audit of all government hospitals and operation theatres, including the ones in the districts.

According to insiders, the fire broke out when surgery was supposed to begin.

Professor Radha Krishna Dhiman, director, SGPGIMS said, “The fire was reported around 12:15 pm. All the patients were shifted from the OT and post-operative ward to safer places.”

“A female patient, who was undergoing surgery in the Endosurgery OT, could not be saved. Also, a child, who was undergoing heart surgery, was evacuated from there due to excessive smoke and brought to the dialysis ICU and resuscitated, also died. Orders have been given to investigate the matter,” he added.

“We have ordered a high-level inquiry into the shocking incident. Along with that a safety audit of all government hospitals and operation theatres including the ones in the districts has been ordered so that such incidents don’t happen again,” said deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak who is also the state’s health minister.

“The incident is most sad and shocking. The government is fully with the families of the victims and wants to assure all that the guilty won’t be spared. The inquiry will cover all the aspects,” Pathak said. He said principal secretary, health, Parthasarathy Sen Sharma, has been sent to the spot.