11 COVID patients killed in fire at Maha hospital, CM announces Rs 5 lakh ex gratia, orders probe

Deepak Pandey, Nashik Police Commissioner confirmed that an officer equivalent to a police inspector or DCP will be deputed to conduct the investigation.

The fire broke out in the hospital's COVID-19 ward, in which 17 patients had been admitted. The remaining patients were shifted to a Covid ward in another hospital, District Collector Rajendra Bhosle told reporters, adding that a 'fire audit' of the structure had been conducted.

The cause of the blaze, which has now been extinguished, is as yet unknown, but preliminary investigations by the fire department suggest it started due to an electrical short circuit, Dr Bhosle told NDTV.

President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives due to a fire at a hospital in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar, and wished speedy recovery to those injured in the incident.

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, the Prime Minister said, "Anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire in a hospital in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest."

The President in a tweet in Hindi said, "The news of death of people due to fire at a Civil Hospital in Ahmednagar in Maharashtra is extremely said. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wish a speedy recovery to those injured."

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also took to Twitter and expressed grief over the loss of lives. He prayed for speedy recovery of the injured, reports UNI.

Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik said the ICU had been newly built for the express purpose of treating coronavirus patients, and the fact that a fire had broken out was a "very serious issue".

Former Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis tweeted calling for "strict action against all responsible people".

"Very shocking and disturbing news from Ahmednagar. My deepest condolences to the families who lost their loved ones... Praying for speedy recovery of the injured. In-depth inquiry should be conducted & strict action against all responsible people!" he tweeted.

Further expressing sorrow, NCP leader Sangram Jagtap, who represents the Ahmednagar Assembly seat told NDTV., "Today, in the Ahmednagar Civil Hospital, there was a fire... many people lost their lives. Definitely an inquiry will take place, but it must be a (state) government committee and not a local (zilla) committee. We must find out how the fire started and who was responsible," he told reporters.

Ahmednagar Guardian Minister Hasan Mushrif said an an inquiry committee has been constituted to probe the incident.

"Committee led by Divisional Commissioner has been formed for probe. It's an unfortunate incident. Govt has time & again given instructions to conduct fire audit still, such incident happening is unfortunate," Mushrif told The Free Press Journal.

Also Read: Delhi: Fire breaks out in Lok Nayak Hospital