Lok Bandhu Hospital fire: ‘Human error likely reason’as final report nears submission

Dr AP Singh, additional chief medical officer and part of the team probing the incident, said the fire originated in a space behind the hospital washrooms, an area with no electrical wiring.

Mechanical faults have been ruled out as the cause of the recent fire at Lok Bandhu Hospital, with evidence pointing towards human error, according to a member of the district-level investigation team. Supporting the electrical safety department’s preliminary findings that the fire was likely started by a burning cigarette butt, the probe team are in the process of finalising the report before submitting it to the DM by April 25.

The probe team are in the process of finalising the report before submitting it to the DM by April 25. (Sourced)

Dr AP Singh, additional chief medical officer and part of the team probing the incident, said the fire originated in a space behind the hospital washrooms, an area with no electrical wiring. “It is likely that somebody who was in the area at that time dropped a match or a cigarette butt and the embers became the cause of the fire,” he said. The findings, he added, will be detailed in the final report being prepared for the district magistrate.

The probe team, constituted by the district magistrate, is led by additional district magistrate (finance) Rakesh Singh. Other members include officials from the chief fire office, electrical safety department, police, and health administration.

“The report is not yet ready to be submitted to the DM. While most of the work is complete, the probe called for answers to multiple questions,” the ADM said.

The team has been tasked with not only determining the cause of the blaze but also identifying any responsible individuals and recommending steps to prevent similar incidents in future.

Preliminary findings from the electrical safety department had earlier pointed towards a cigarette butt as a likely cause. The latest confirmation from the probe team further supports that conclusion.

Meanwhile, Dr Suman Ratan, DG medical health services, who is chairing the probe team constituted by the department of medical health and family welfare said that the investigation is not yet complete, and the findings are not ready to be shared or submitted yet. The deadline for this team, set by the principal secretary of the department, Partha Sarathi Sen Sharma, is April 30.