- By Talib Khan
- Tue, 25 Aug 2020 04:46 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: A massive fire broke out in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Guru Gobind Singh Government Hospital in Jamnagar, Gujarat on Tuesday afternoon, following which several patients from its ICU ward were shifted to a nearby building.
Jamnagar Municipal Commissioner and Collector are present at the Guru Gobind Singh Government Hospital. There was no report of any casualty so far, the officials said, adding that the fire broke out in the non-COVID ICU ward located in the old building of Guru Gobind Singh Government Hospital around 3:30 pm.
As smoke engulfed the ward, the hospital staff shifted several patients from there to a nearby building. Fire fighting teams rushed to the spot and efforts were on to douse the flames, the official said.
Earlier this month on August 6, a massive fire broke out at a private hospital' ICU ward in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, killing 8 patients, including five men and three women, who were also diagnosed with the coronavirus.
"A staffer whose PPE caught fire ran out of the ward to douse it but the fire spread rapidly to the whole ward," Rajesh Bhatt, additional chief fire officer of the Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services, was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters.
"Five men and three women, who were undergoing treatment for the novel coronavirus were not in a position to escape," he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled the deaths in the unfortunate incident in his home state and tweeted,"Saddened by the tragic hospital fire in Ahmedabad. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to CM @vijayrupanibjp Ji and Mayor @ibijalpatel Ji regarding the situation. The administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected (sic)".
Prime Minister's office also announced Ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives. "Ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the hospital fire in Ahmedabad. Rs 50,000 each would be given to those injured due to the hospital fire," a tweet by the Prime Minister's office read.
