Fire at Alambagh Railway Hospital, critical patients shifted

Lucknow: Panic gripped the Northern Railway Divisional Hospital in Lucknow's Alambagh early Monday morning after a massive fire broke out, filling the corridors with thick smoke.

According to news reports, the blaze, which reportedly began around 5:30 a.m., was traced to a suspected short circuit in the CCTV server room on the ground floor. 

The fire spread rapidly through electrical wiring, triggering alarms throughout the hospital and sending smoke into upper floors, including the Critical Care Unit (CCU) on the first floor. Hospital staff acted swiftly to evacuate patients and prevent a major tragedy.

Speaking to TOI, Chief Fire Officer Ankush Mittal said more than 22 critical and elderly patients were rescued using stretchers and wheelchairs and shifted to another ward, where oxygen and medical support were arranged.

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While the server room and electrical systems suffered extensive damage, officials confirmed no injuries or casualties were reported. The emergency ward on the ground floor, which housed over ten patients at the time, remained unaffected, as hospital staff quickly sealed it off to prevent smoke from entering.

Chief Medical Superintendent Dr Sangeeta Sagar confirmed that all patients, attendants, and staff were safe. She said, “The fire was caused by a suspected short circuit in the server room. Our team and the fire department acted swiftly to prevent a major disaster,” reports TOI.

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Preliminary findings suggest that an electrical overload in the server and CCTV systems may have triggered the blaze.

Fire officials commended the hospital staff and rescue teams for their prompt action, noting that any delay could have resulted in serious cases of smoke inhalation. By 7:00 a.m., the fire was fully extinguished, and the hospital was declared safe for operations.