Amravati Hospital fire: CCTV footage raises concerns over emergency response

Amravati: The District Women’s Hospital in Amravati has come under scrutiny after CCTV footage reportedly surfaced in connection with the fire that claimed the lives of three infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) last month. 

According to the news reports, former Minister of State Sunil Deshmukh alleged that the footage shows two nurses sleeping in the lobby outside the NICU and failing to wake up despite the fire alarm ringing three times.

Deshmukh also claimed that red warning lights were flashing during the incident.

Also Read:Amravati Hospital Fire: No lapse in fire safety audits, says District Magistrate

Deshmukh presented the footage in front of the media on Wednesday. He said, on Aug 24, at 2.50 am, a ventilator exploded in the NICU of the hospital, triggering a massive fire. “The footage shows the nurses waking up screaming after hearing the explosion, after which other staff rush in and try to control the fire using small fire extinguishers,” he said, reports TOI.

Deshmukh further alleged that the hospital’s fire-control system was of poor quality and claimed that fire brigade vehicles reached the hospital around 3.30 am. He also alleged discrepancies between the official version of events and what was visible in the CCTV footage.

“Many facts have come to light through the CCTV footage. There should be an independent inquiry into this,” he said. 

Following the fire, state Health Minister Prakash Abitkar visited Amravati and inspected the hospital. An 11-member high-level committee headed by the commissioner of the National Health Mission was subsequently constituted to investigate the incident.

Medical Dialogues had previously reported that five officials have been suspended and action has been initiated against two agencies following a high-level inquiry into the August 24 fire at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of Amravati District Women’s Hospital, which claimed the lives of three newborns.

The committee has submitted its inquiry report to the state government, but its findings have not yet been made public. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had recently said that the report would be released soon and would address the allegations raised by the opposition.

Also Read:Amravati Hospital Fire: 5 officials suspended over safety lapses