Kolkata, Oct 24 (NationPress) A tragic incident occurred late on Thursday at a private nursing home in Siliguri, located in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, where a fire broke out after midnight, resulting in the death of one patient. Fortunately, thanks to the swift actions of hospital staff and local police, the remaining patients were evacuated safely.

Investigations are ongoing to determine whether the deceased patient, who was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), succumbed to smoke inhalation or other reasons.

Deputy Commissioner of Siliguri Metropolitan Police, Rakesh Singh, responded promptly to the incident and reassured the media that the fire had not affected the 12 patients in the general ward or the five in the ICU, all of whom are safe.

Authorities are now looking into the matter, with Singh confirming that appropriate legal actions will be taken. Meanwhile, relatives of the patients have expressed concerns regarding the nursing home's preparedness for emergencies, citing inadequate medical personnel during the fire.

They claimed that there was insufficient staff to operate the nursing home's fire-fighting equipment at the time of the blaze. This assertion was partially supported by an official from the fire services department, who indicated that the situation could have been managed more effectively had the equipment been utilized properly.

In defense, nursing home officials refuted these claims, stating that adequate personnel were present and that the initial panic was handled efficiently, ensuring patient safety. They have indicated that a short circuit is believed to have caused the fire.