Fire breaks out at AIIMS Deoghar, Health Minister orders probe

Ranchi: A major fire broke out at an under-construction wing of the premier health institute, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) building in Jharkhand's Deoghar on Thursday. No casualties were reported in the incident. 

Fire brigade teams that reached the spot brought the fire under control after an hour. State Health Minister Banna Gupta has ordered an inquiry into the accident.

The fire broke out in the lower portion of B Block, as high flames started rising and a cloud of smoke spread in the entire premises within minutes. People present on the premises were taken to safer places.

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On the other hand, the hospital workers and the relatives of the patients who had reached for treatment got involved in controlling the fire. After some effort, the fire was brought under control.

AIIMS Director Saurabh Varshney said that the fire broke out due to a spark during welding work in an under-construction area and there was a pile of garbage lying there, which had inflammable items including plastic. Due to which the spark that came out went on the pile of garbage lying outside the building and caught fire.

According to a media report in TOI, Eyewitnesses said "Huge flames billowed out of the wing. Luckily, it did not prove devastating."

“The functioning of the existing facilities at AIIMS here was started after installation of the fire-fighting arrangements and after getting clearance from the fire safety authorities,” said AIIMS medical superintendent Dr Satyaranjan Patra.

"Talked to AIIMS Director on phone after the news of fire in Deoghar AIIMS, inquired about the accident from him, he told that the situation is under control, I have instructed him to investigate the incident," said Jharkhand Health Minister Banna Gupta sharing a video of the fire on Twitter. 

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