Panic reigned at Rohini's Brahm Shakti hospital on Saturday morning when a fire broke out in its ICU and claimed the life of a 64-year-old patient. Several people, including patients, were rescued in time thanks to sparse crowd inside the northwest Delhi hospital at the time of the incident.
According to Pranav Tayal, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Rohini district, the information regarding the fire was received around 5 am, following which the local police reached the spot and called fire tenders
Delhi Fire Services (DFS) Director Atul Garg said a total of nine fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the flames. The fire has been completely doused, Garg said.
All were safely rescued except one patient, who was admitted to the ICU and on a ventilator support, the DCP said.“Holi, a kidney patient and resident of Prem Nagar, was taken out but he died due to the disruption in power and oxygen support. No operational fire fighting system was found in place and the fire exit door was found locked/blocked,” said police.
A Delhi health department official, however, said the hospital was in possession of a fire NOC. On the fire equipment not working, the official said it is the responsibility of the fire department to assess the equipment.
A case under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter), 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery), and 304A (causing death by negligence) is being registered in this regard at the Vijay Vihar police station, the DCP said.
One of the evacuee said though there was no chaos, people did get terrified. 90 years old Khushi was admitted in the hospital and had come out of the hospital as the fire raged on its third floor. "I have some issues with my legs and was admitted here six days ago. I was sleeping with my mother in room number 206 when a nurse came and asked us to leave immediately as there was a fire on the third floor in the ICU. We took our belongings with us, but my books were left inside the room," she said. Her mother Mamta Gupta said that though people escaped in time, everyone got scared and some of them even broke down. Khushi said she is preparing for her journalism exams.
Surabhi Bhalla, 26, a resident of Budh Vihar, said she was on the second floor when the fire broke out. "I was admitted to the hospital last Saturday after being down with a stomach infection. I was sleeping in my room with my daughter and husband.
Some hospital staff came around 5 am and informed us that a fire had broken out on the third floor of the building. Immediately, we ran out of the building.
My three-year-old daughter, who was born on the third floor of this hospital, was also with us as she doesn't sleep without me," she said. Surabhi's husband, Rakesh Bhalla, 32, said his wife was scheduled to be discharged on Friday, but had to stay another day as the doctor was absent. "I am happy that we escaped," Rakesh said.
"I was on the ground floor and safely came out of the building. I have pain in the veins of my legs and came to the hospital on Thursday. I was alone at that time. My son Pravesh works in Delhi Transport Department. I am feeling well now and hope that doctors will discharge me soon," Vashisht said.
Another patient Amarjeet Singh, 32, said though there was chaos, everyone came outside on time. "People started rushing out of the building. I heard that one patient has died who was admitted to the ICU. I have pneumonia and my wife and mother-in-law are here with me," Singh said.
Fire incidents were reported at Safdarjung Hospital in south Delhi and at Makkar Multispeciality Hospital in the eastern part of the city on May 27 and there was no casualty.
