Chennai: Fire breaks out at Rajiv Gandhi hospital, no injuries – The Indian Express

Chennai News

A fire broke out at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai Wednesday morning. Multiple fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flame. There were no reports of injury in the incident.

Addressing media persons, Subramanian said the fire started from a short circuit in a storage room for surgical and other items. Patients admitted to the nearby Neuro ward were evacuated immediately, he added.

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“Soon after the fire broke out, hospital workers immediately shifted the patients to another block. Three patients who were admitted at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) were also rescued. Several fire rescue personnel have been deployed to bring the fire under control. The officials have informed us that there are no casualties or injuries to anyone,” Subramanian said. All the 99 patients in the old surgical unit besides 3 in the Intensive Care Unit were safely evacuated.

Chennai: Patients receive treatment outside the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital after a fire broke out due to a short circuit at the hospital, in Chennai, Wednesday, April 27, 2022. Tamil Nadu’s Principal Secretary-Health J Radhakrishnan has said that all the patients from the hospital have been evacuated safely. (PTI Photo)

Electricity short circuit, which is suspected to be the cause of fire, witnessed explosion of 3 oxygen cylinders which led to panic for a while and ladders were used to bring down the patients through a window. TNFRS personnel also used a sky lift to rescue the patients and others stuck inside the block. Visuals of some patients trying to scramble to safety and a woman being carried by two nurses and a patient went viral on the social media. An explosion followed by the fire emanating from the block led to tense moments among the patients and their attendants.

Indicating that ‘poor building maintenance’ during the last 10 years of the AIADMK regime could have led to the incident, Subramanian said steps would be taken to construct two new blocks after consulting the Chief Minister.

Subramanian, accompanied by Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan and Chennai Mayor R Priya and senior officials rushed to the spot and monitored the rescue and fire fighting operations.

–With inputs from PTI

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chennai/chennai-fire-breaks-at-rajiv-gandhi-hospital-no-injuries-7889649/