What Caused the Fire in B'luru's Victoria Hospital Burns Ward?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- All patients were safely evacuated during the fire incident.
- The fire was caused by a short circuit in the switchboard.
- Emergency services responded swiftly to extinguish the fire.
- Dr. Divya played a critical role in the evacuation.
- This incident highlights the need for improved fire safety measures in hospitals.
Bengaluru, July 1 (NationPress) A fire incident occurred in the government-operated Victoria Hospital on Tuesday, affecting the burns ward. Remarkably, all 26 patients were safely transferred to another block.
The initial police investigation revealed that the fire erupted around 3 a.m. due to a short circuit in the switchboard, leading to significant damage, including a bed, register book, and other equipment.
The fire and smoke quickly spread across the ground floor of the burns ward. Dr. Divya, who was on night duty, spotted the fire and promptly notified the authorities. Subsequently, hospital staff efficiently relocated all 26 patients to a different ward in H Block.
Hospital officials reported that there were 14 men, 5 women, and 7 children admitted in the burns ward at the time. Police noted that Dr. Divya first detected the fire and smoke in the seminar hall around 3:30 a.m., and she swiftly alerted her teammates and initiated the evacuation process.
She also reached out to the hospital superintendent and contacted police and fire services. The evacuation, which included patients from the ICU, was completed within 30 minutes. Fire and Emergency Services personnel who arrived at the scene successfully extinguished the fire, as confirmed by police.
Earlier this year, on February 19, a major fire at a perfume warehouse near Bengaluru resulted in the deaths of three individuals. This incident occurred in a warehouse located at Ramasamudra on Bengaluru's western outskirts.
A tragic fire incident on March 20 claimed the lives of a mother and her two sons in J.P. Nagar, Bengaluru.
On May 1, a fire caused by a gas cylinder leak resulted in the deaths of a man and his neighbor, while three others sustained injuries. The Madanayakanahalli police filed an FIR against an 18-year-old student, the son of one of the victims, for allegedly causing the LPG cylinder leak.