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70 patients evacuated after minor fire erupts in Sassoon hospital
A minor fire broke out in the male general ward of Sassoon General Hospital early Monday morning, prompting evacuation of around 70 patients
Pune: A minor fire broke out in the male general ward of Sassoon General Hospital early Monday morning, prompting the evacuation of around 70 patients as a precautionary measure. No injuries were reported in the incident, officials said.
According to hospital authorities, the incident occurred around 4.45am in the sister’s room located on the ground floor of a ground-plus-two-storey building. A loft above the room, used for storing ward materials such as books, registers, medicines and a wheelchair, caught fire.
Fire brigade officials said they received a distress call at around 5.01am following which three fire vehicles, including fire tenders and water tankers, were rushed to the hospital considering the seriousness of the situation.
Hospital security staff and employees initially tried to control the blaze using fire extinguishers before the fire brigade arrived at the spot. By the time firefighters reached the ward, smoke had spread in the area.
Fire officer Vijay Bhilare said the hospital’s existing fire safety systems and the quick response by staff helped prevent the fire from spreading. “We received the call early in the morning and immediately rushed to the spot. Three fire tenders were sent as a precaution. The nurses and staff had already started dousing the flames using fire extinguishers, which helped contain the fire,” he said.
Ventilation systems and exhaust blowers were used to clear the smoke and improve air circulation in the ward. At the time of the incident, around 70 patients were admitted in the ward. All of them were safely evacuated and shifted out of the building.
Firefighters then laid a hose line and used jet and spray water to completely extinguish the flames.
Dr Yallapa Jadhav, medical superintendent of Sassoon Hospital, confirmed that the patients were shifted to other wards as a precaution. “All patients from the affected ward were shifted to different wards immediately to ensure their safety. The ward will now undergo deep cleaning and the patients will be shifted back in a couple of days,” he said.
Officials said the incident was minor and was handled quickly due to the preparedness of the hospital staff, who regularly undergo fire safety drills and training.
Prima facie, officials suspect the fire may have been caused by an electrical short circuit, though the exact cause will be known only after a detailed investigation. Normal operations at the hospital continued without disruption after the situation was brought under control.
