Fire At Rourkela’s Private Hospital, Injured Newborn Shifted To IGH

Rourkela: A six-day-old infant sustained critical burn injuries after fire broke out in a private hospital at Civil Township area of the Steel City in the early hours of Saturday.

Sources said an attendant of Om Apollo Hospital noticed smoke billowing out of the newborn ward on the second floor of the hospital around 4.30 AM. Following information, the hospital authorities swung into action and managed to douse the flames using fire extinguishers.

However, a six-day-old infant had to be rushed to the Ispat General Hospital (IGH) in a critical condition with over 80 percent burn injuries.

Two platoons of police force have been deployed near the hospital.

Meanwhile, a Fire Brigade team is verifying the fire fighting measures at the hospital.

While the exact reason of the fire is not immediately known, a doctor at the Gynaecology ward of the hospital said the fire erupted after bulb of a heating machine inside the newborn ward exploded due to short circuit.

Talking to the media, Manoj Kumar Das, father of the critically injured newborn, said the doctors at the IGH have advised him to shift his son to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for better treatment.

On the other hand, director of Om Apollo Hospital Ajit Singh said he would bear the treatment cost of the newborn.