A major fire broke out at the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital in Tamil Nadu's Chennai at 11 am Wednesday. Initially four fire tenders were rushed to the spot but more were sent later till the fire was doused. Heads of every wing in the hospital told patients about the fire and that had been put out to allay fears.
"All patients have been evacuated safely. The fire broke out in one of the older buildings, the new three blocks are safe from fire. So far no report of casualties or injuries have been reported," Dr J Radhakrishnan, principal secretary (health) for the Tamil Nadu government told reporters.
Fire and rescue personnel carried patients (some were lifted on plastic chairs) to transfer them to a safer location within the hospital premises.
A total of 33 patients, including three from the ICU, were shifted.
One patient said in a video message they were eating at 11am in their ward. "We could see smoke from the nearby building at 11am and it increased by 11.30am. The nurses gave us confidence that nothing will happen to us," Jayaseelan, a patient who had a leg injury and couldn’t walk, said.
“But when the smoke increased in our rooms, they announced for those who can walk to take the stairs and go out. I can’t walk. Three of my friends were also in the ward so we decided to stay. But as the situation got worse, the doctors used stretchers to bring us down. Now we are safe."
{{/usCountry}}“But when the smoke increased in our rooms, they announced for those who can walk to take the stairs and go out. I can’t walk. Three of my friends were also in the ward so we decided to stay. But as the situation got worse, the doctors used stretchers to bring us down. Now we are safe."
{{/usCountry}}“This was an unexpected accident which happened due to a short circuit," health minister M Subramanian, who rushed to the spot, told reporters. “10 (oxygen) cylinders which were inside have also been removed. The hospital’s health staff and fire department personnel have acted very quickly."