Swift action by hospital staff and the Geetanjali fire station helped prevent a major tragedy, and no injuries or casualties were reported.
According to the Delhi Fire Services (DFS), the fire was reported around 10.45 am. Even before a formal emergency call could be registered, a passerby rushed into the Geetanjali fire station—located adjacent to the hospital—to alert personnel about smoke rising from the building. Firefighters immediately rushed to the hospital on foot, reaching the spot within two minutes, while fire tenders were dispatched simultaneously.
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Speaking to TOI, Fire officials said a woman was undergoing a delivery inside the OT when a suspected short circuit in medical equipment triggered the blaze. Several newborn babies were also present in the intensive care unit (ICU) on the same floor. Hospital staff, along with fire personnel, quickly shifted all patients, including the infants, to safer areas and subsequently to the hospital's other branch in Panchsheel Park. The firefighting operation was challenging due to the presence of medical equipment and oxygen cylinders in the OT, which caused the fire to spread rapidly. Thick smoke filled the staircase, hampering access to the affected area. To contain the blaze, firefighters broke an external window to ventilate the smoke and reach the source of the fire directly.
“We sent teams, and the patients and staff were timely evacuated. They were on the first floor, and nobody was on the third floor. Everyone was safe. However, during the cooling operation, one of the firefighters felt slight discomfort due to the smoke. He was taken to the hospital and discharged in some time,” said Delhi Fire Services senior official, reports the Hindustan Times.
Fire operator Bhanwar Singh, who was among the first responders, said that the staircase had been filled with smoke and it had been difficult to move inside, and that breaking the window had been the quickest and safest way to reach the fire and prevent it from spreading further.
According to reports, Singh, along with fire operators Jasbir, Sanjeet Kumar, and Balraj, was stationed at the Geetanjali fire station when the alert was received. Station officer Nitin said that the hospital had adequate fire safety measures, which helped in the initial control of the situation.
Two fire tenders were deployed, and the blaze was brought under control within an hour. Fire officials confirmed that internal fire extinguishers and sprinklers were operational, preventing the flames from spreading to other parts of the hospital.
Police said they were alerted by hospital doctors, and an investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the fire. Legal action will follow based on the findings.
In a statement, Rainbow Hospitals said, "A minor fire incident, caused by a short circuit, occurred at the hospital and was promptly contained by the hospital's emergency response team. There were no casualties, injuries, or inconvenience caused, and all patients, staff, and visitors are safe. Hospital operations continue as normal without disruption. Local fire authorities were immediately informed and responded swiftly. Rainbow Hospitals maintains stringent safety and emergency response protocols across all its facilities, which are regularly reviewed and rigorously implemented to ensure the highest level of preparedness and safety for patients, staff, and visitors at all times," reports TOI.
The incident has once again brought attention to fire safety in hospitals, particularly in critical care areas, coming less than a year after a tragic neonatal hospital fire in the capital that claimed the lives of seven newborns.
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