Eight innocent people, bravely fighting Covid-19 in a speciality hospital at Ahmedabad lost their lives when a massive fire broke out early on Thursday.
The 50-bed Shrey Hospital in Ahmedabad’s Navrangpura area had around 45 patients admitted at the time of accident, stated news reports. The eight victims, five men and three women, were all admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), when the fire broke out.
The other patients have been rescued and shifted to a civic hospital, reported, NDTV. The fire is said to have broken out around 3 AM on Thursday, at the private hospital that had been designated for the treatment of coronavirus patients. According to news reports, as the blaze raged on, at least eight fire engines and 10 ambulances of the fire department were rushed to the site. The survivors have been shifted to the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, a civic hospital in the city, stated NDTV, quoting an official.
According to media reports, quoting Rajiv Kumar Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary, Gujarat Government, and shared on social media, “Preliminary information reveals that a fire broke out in the ICU due to short circuit.”
Chief Minister Shri Vijaybhai Rupani has directed the state government to immediately conduct a thorough investigation into the fire. The probe has to be completed in 3 days, stated the Chief Minister’s office.
મુખ્યમંત્રી શ્રી વિજયભાઈ રૂપાણીએ અમદાવાદના નવરંગપુરા વિસ્તારમાં આવેલ શ્રેય હોસ્પિટલમાં આગ લાગવાની દુર્ઘટનાની અંગેની તલસ્પર્શી તપાસ 3 દિવસમાં કરીને આ ઘટના કઈ રીતે બની તેમજ તેની પાછળ જવાબદાર લોકો સહિતનો અહેવાલ રાજ્ય સરકારને તાત્કાલિક આપવા આદેશ કરેલ છે.
— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) August 6, 2020
According to news reports, in this still developing news, the probe into the incident will be led by Sangeeta Singh, Additional Chief Secretary (Home Department).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condoled the deaths in his home state, and shared that he had spoken to CM Vijayrupani and Mayor Bijal Patel. The Prime Minister’s office also announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF to be given to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives. The injured will be given. Rs. 50,000 each.
Ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the hospital fire in Ahmedabad. Rs. 50,000 each would be given to those injured due to the hospital fire.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 6, 2020
According to the latest Covid-19 report Gujarat has had over 65,000 coronavirus cases so far. As stated by NDTV, Gujarat is among the 10 worst Covid-19-hit states in India by the outbreak.
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Burgeoning Covid crisis in Gujarat: Cases cross 30,000 mark