PM Modi 'saddened' by Nagpur hospital fire that left 4 dead

The Well Treat Hospital, located in Wadi area of West Nagpur, was treating patients of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the fire that broke out at a hospital in Nagpur and killed four people on Friday night. "Saddened by the hospital fire in Nagpur. My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives, Praying that the injured recover at the earliest," PM Modi tweeted.

PM Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the fire that broke out in Nagpur (YouTube/Narendra Modi)

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed his condolences and tweeted, "I am deeply saddened by the news of a fire in a hospital in Nagpur. In this hour of grief, I express my deepest condolences to the relatives of the dead and pray to the Gods to get well soon for the injured."

The fire may have started from an AC unit of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on the first floor of the hospital. "The fire reportedly started from an AC unit of the ICU. The blaze remained confined to the floor and did not spread further," Nagpur Municipal Corporation's (NMC) chief fire officer Rajendra Uchke said.

The Well Treat Hospital, located in Wadi area of West Nagpur, was treating patients of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). After the incident, around 27 patients were shifted to the Indira Gandhi Medical College in a critical condition.

Watch: Four Covid patients die in Nagpur hospital fire, PM Modi expresses grief

While the fire was contained to the first floor, the smoke further spread to the second floor where 10 patients were inside the ICU. The hospital staff managed to rescue six of the patients and the remaining four died of asphyxiation. The deceased have not yet been identified.

“We can’t comment on the health condition of others now as we are busy shifting the patients to other hospitals,” Nagpur Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said.

Four fire tenders were present on the spot and it took them around an hour to douse the fire.

According to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from the area, Samir Meghe, the cause of fire is yet to be ascertained. “Prima facie it appears that a short circuit could have triggered the fire,” he said.