Odisha Govt Orders Probe Into Sadguru COVID Hospital Fire

Cuttack: Within hours of a fire breaking out in the Sadguru COVID Hospital at Jagatpur in Cuttack on Monday, the Odisha government ordered a probe into the incident.

Health and Family Welfare minister Naba Kumar Das informed mediapersons that he has directed the Fire Services Department and the Central Electricity Supply Authority (CESU) to conduct a joint investigation, submit a report within 24 hours and take appropriate action at the earliest.

Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), Central, Anil Kumar Samal said that he will also probe the fire. The investigation will be conducted to ascertain circumstances that led to the outbreak of the fire. Necessary steps will be taken to ensure that such an incident doesn’t take place in any other hospital,” he added.

Earlier in the day, Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Sukanta Sethi said that the Sadguru Hospital had not obtained the fire safety licence.

“During the recent inspection by Fire Services Department, it was found that the hospital didn’t have adequate fire-fighting system. The Department had asked the hospital authorities that they will be given the fire safety licence only after basic safety parameters are fulfilled. But as the hospital authorities till date have not fulfilled the criteria, the hospital has not been given the licence,” he pointed out.

He added that fortunately, the fire safety system of the hospital worked properly on Monday. As a result, the fire did not spread to other wards of the hospital.

Dr Samita Mohanty of the Gynaecology Department said that smoke billowed from the air-conditioner in the ICU ward. “There was absolutely no fire. Soon after noticing the smoke, we immediately rescued the patients from the ICU ward and made arrangements to shift the critical patients to other hospitals having ventilators,” she added.

Also Read: Fire Breaks Out At COVID Hospital In Odisha’s Cuttack