Fire breaks out in Akola Hospital CCU, patients shifted
Akola- Chaos ensued at a private hospital in the Ramdaspeth area of Akola on Thursday after a fire broke out in an air conditioner due to a suspected short circuit. The blaze erupted in the Critical Care Unit (CCU), and the smoke spread to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
The incident took place around 1:10 PM, when an AC unit installed in the CCU reportedly malfunctioned and caught fire. Subsequently, the room, where two patients were undergoing treatment, was filled with thick smoke. However, the hospital staff took swift action and immediately evacuated both patients.
The nearby ICU was also affected as smoke spread throughout the entire hospital, triggering panic among patients and their relatives. With the assistance of locals and attendants, the hospital administration shifted all the ICU patients to nearby hospitals via ambulances.
Following the incident, fire officials were immediately notified and arrived at the spot within minutes. The fire was brought under control in time, before it could spread further.
Manish Kathale, chief of the fire department, said, “We got a call at around 1.10 pm and reached the hospital within five minutes. Our first priority was to rescue patients from the affected CCU area, while another team simultaneously worked to douse the flames", according to TOI.
Hospital Director Dr Deepak Kelkar stated that work on installing solar panels was underway at the hospital, as a result of which the main power line had been switched off. "We are investigating how the power supply resumed and led to a short circuit. Our immediate focus was on ensuring patient safety. Thanks to our staff, fire brigade, and locals, all patients were safely evacuated," he said.
The police also arrived at the scene and assessed the situation. There are no reports of any injuries or casualties in this incident; however, had timely action not been taken, the situation could have taken a serious turn.
