Infants shifted after ventilator catches fire in Assam hospital

According to Assam Medical College Hospital authorities, the incident happened around 6:30 pm when the ventilator unit caught fire due to a short circuit.

Updated on: Nov 11, 2021, 06:04:44 IST

By Utpal Parashar, Hindustan Times, New Delhi

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The alertness and timely action by doctors and staff members of Assam Medical College Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh helped avert a tragedy after one ventilator at an intensive care unit (ICU) of a pediatric ward caught fire on Wednesday.

A fire broke out at a pediatric ward of Assam Medical College Hospital on Wednesday.

According to hospital authorities, the incident happened around 6:30 pm when the ventilator unit caught fire due to a short circuit. The baby in the unit was immediately moved out and as a safety measure, all 10 other newborns were shifted to another part of the hospital.

“As it was an ICU unit, doctors and staff took immediate action and the fire was doused. The baby in the particular unit and all other babies of the ICU are safe and there’s no cause of any worry,” Dr Sanjeev Kakati, principal-cum-chief superintendent of AMCH, told HT over phone.

Asked whether the ventilator unit that caught fire was part of supplies from the PM Cares Fund, Dr Kakati said that since the hospital has received several such units over the course of the past one-and-half years from various sources, it would be difficult to verify its origin.

“There’s no certainty whether the short circuit took place due to a problem in the machine or due to some issues in wiring. As a safety measure, we have ordered an electrical audit of the entire hospital, which will be conducted on Thursday,” Dr Kakati said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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