Theni: A fire broke out in a block used as a store room at the Government Medical College Hospital in Theni, Tamil Nadu on Friday but alert authorities evacuated all patients to safety quickly.

The blaze reportedly occurred due to faulty electrical wires in the Crystal Block, and was put out after a two-hour battle by the Fire and Rescue Service Personnel, officials said.

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Three of the fire-fighters suffered breathlessness and were hospitalized, they said. The fire was noticed early in the morning at the block, where chemicals and acid bottles meant for the sanitary purposes were stocked, by the doctors and nurses who immediately alerted the authorities.

"After informing the fire and rescue services department, we evacuated all the inpatients to a safe place and cautioned others not to enter the building," hospital dean Dr Elangovan told PTI.

"The three firemen inhaled the fumes and had to be treated for suffocation," he said.

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