Fire at Thuravoor Taluk Hospital, medicines worth Rs 1 crore gutted
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Kottayam: In a tragic incident, a massive fire broke out on Monday at the Thuravoor Taluk Government Hospital in Alappuzha, Kerala. According to preliminary estimates, medicines worth approximately ₹1 crore were destroyed in the blaze.
The fire occurred around 10:30 AM in the storage area on the third floor of the old hospital building, located near the Thuravar Junction on the National Highway. A pharmacist first noticed the fire and immediately sounded the alarm, following which other hospital staff members also rushed toward the scene.
Preliminary assessments suggest that the fire may have been triggered by a short circuit in the air-conditioning system. However, the hospital administration and police have stated that a detailed investigation into the incident will be conducted.
The first fire brigade unit arrived from Aroor within 15 minutes. At the time of the incident, 11 dialysis patients, four women in labor, and 10 other patients were present in the hospital, along with approximately 200 outpatients.
As per the TOI media news report, the dense smoke billowing from the burning medicines hindered rescue operations. However, auto-rickshaw drivers and local residents arrived at the scene to offer assistance. Yet, the hospital administration did not permit them to access the area where the medicines were burning, as the fire posed a risk of explosions.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that smoke triggered panic at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College in Jabalpur on Thursday evening, around 8:30 pm, after it was reported near the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Authorities later confirmed that the smoke was caused by a short circuit outside the ward. As the smoke spread, anxious parents rushed towards the NICU in an attempt to take their babies, leading to a tense situation inside the hospital.
