Except extinguishers, other fire safety equipment was missing at A’nagar hosp

According to the fire department, except fire extinguishers, other recommended fire safety equipment was conspicuous by its absence inside the ICU ward when the fire broke out at the Ahmednagar Civil hospital on Saturday

PUNE: Days after 11 elderly patients died and six others were injured in a blaze at the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Ahmednagar Civil hospital, the fire department of the Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Tuesday conducted a re-audit of the building housing the ICU and submitted the report to the divisional commissioner and district collector. Further, the eight-member committee constituted by the state government to investigate the incident began recording the statements of the hospital and ICU staff as first respondents.

Eleven elderly patients died in the blaze at the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Ahmednagar Civil hospital on Saturday. According to the fire department, except fire extinguishers, other recommended fire safety equipment was conspicuous by its absence inside the ICU ward when the fire broke out at the Ahmednagar Civil hospital on Saturday. (HT FILE )

AMC fire officer Shankar Misal said, “We conducted a re-audit of the ICU building of Ahmednagar Civil hospital on Tuesday and submitted the report to the divisional commissioner and district collector. Also, the eight-member committee began recording the statements of the hospital and ICU staff as first respondents. During the re-audit, we found anomalies related to the absence of firefighting equipment and carried out an analysis of the same. We are collecting information and recording the statements of the staff and also collecting electronic audit documents. ICU staffers who were first eyewitnesses or respondents have been called in for recording their statements. We have requested for a forensic certificate from the police department as well.”

According to the fire department, there were oxygen pipes, electrical wires, and medical instruments inside the ICU ward and barring fire extinguishers, other recommended fire safety equipment was conspicuous by its absence when the fire broke out on Saturday. Whereas the fire safety audit conducted between the last week of February and the first week of March this year had recommended that a fire safety system complete with sprinklers and a pipeline be installed at the hospital. Notwithstanding the hospital administration did not comply with the recommendations due to a lack of funds, as highlighted by the Hindustan Times on Sunday.

Earlier this year, there were a series of mishaps at various hospitals in the state. A fire broke out at the sick newborn care unit in Bhandara, claiming the lives of 10 newborn infants. In March, a fire broke out at a hospital dedicated to Covid-19 patients inside a mall in Bhandup, claiming 11 lives. In April when a severe oxygen crisis had hit the country, a tank supplying oxygen to Covid patients on ventilators at a Nagpur hospital leaked and claimed 24 lives.