80 Lucknow hospitals served Notices for Inadequate Fire Safety Measures
Lucknow: In the wake of the tragic fire at the Rani Laxmibai Medical College Hospital in Jhansi, the fire department conducted an investigation that revealed serious deficiencies in fire safety measures at numerous hospitals in Lucknow. As a result, the department has issued notices to 80 hospitals for failing to meet the required fire safety standards.
It revealed that only 301 of the city's 906 hospitals have adequate fire safety measures in place and possess fire No Objection Certificates (NOCs). The fire department will inspect the remaining hospitals and take further action based on the fire safety measures there.
Medical dialogues had earlier reported that at least 10 children died in a fire that engulfed the children's ward of a medical college in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi district, officials said, as 16 others injured battled for life on Saturday.
Also Read: Jhansi Medical College fire: 10 children confimed dead, 16 battle for life
The fire that broke out at Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Jhansi has raised further concerns about fire safety in healthcare facilities across Uttar Pradesh. Reports indicate that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit, and the newborns were in incubators at the time. The report further revealed that expired fire extinguishers were found in the NICU, and the safety alarms failed to go off, delaying the evacuation efforts.
In response to the tragedy, the Uttar Pradesh Government has ordered an urgent review of fire safety protocols across the state and formed a four-member committee to conduct a detailed investigation. The committee has been assigned the responsibility of determining the cause of the fire and assessing whether any negligence contributed to the incident. The government has requested the committee to submit its report within seven days.
Additionally, the findings of the committee will play a crucial role in deciding whether further safety protocols need to be implemented in state-run hospitals to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Following this, the fire department launched a citywide inspection of hospitals in Lucknow. The inspection revealed that 66% of the hospitals in the city lack essential fire safety measures. Based on the findings, the fire department has served notices to 80 hospitals in Lucknow that are lacking to meet fire safety standards. Further inspections are set to continue, with the department emphasizing that hospitals must rectify these lapses immediately to prevent similar tragedies.
Former Chief Fire Officer Rakesh Rai emphasized that fire safety audits of hospitals should be conducted by third-party organizations to ensure transparency and accountability. He has also mentioned that all hospitals should appoint dedicated fire safety officers similar to the way hospitals appoint nurses. He pointed out that several hospitals don't have two fire exit doors due to a lack of space in the hospitals.
Also Read: Odisha Govt sets up joint task force for regular fire safety audits in hospitals
