Fire Breaks Out At Govt Hospital In Thiruvananthapuram; All Patients Evacuated Safely

Hospital authorities and emergency response teams acted swiftly to bring the blaze under control, while efforts were undertaken to ensure the safety of patients and staff.

Preliminary investigation suggests the fire was triggered by a short circuit in a ventilator. Smoke reportedly engulfied the ward after an oxygen leak from the machine, while materials including plastic also caught fire.

“The fire broke out near the surgical ICU ward. Thirty two patients admitted there were shifted to other ICUs,” said Mayor VV Rajesh, after visiting the site.

The Mayor informed that no one was injured in the incident and that all damaged equipment have been removed. “A spark originated from a ventilator in the surgical ICU, and flames were first noticed on a bed. Immediate coordinated action was taken, including cutting off the oxygen supply. Since the room was closed, smoke engulfed it quickly and completely,” Rajesh said.

He assured that there is no cause for concern and that all patients are safe. “All patients have been moved to the medical ICU, and the fire is completely under control,” he added.

The Mayor also clarified that cutting off of the oxygen supply did not affect the functioning of other ICUs. Technicians are currently inspecting all ventilators following the incident, he said.

Meanwhile, officials of the fire department stated that there were 33 patients in the ICU adjacent to where the fire occurred, and all of them were evacuated safely. Since the fire was limited to a single ventilator, it was quickly brought under control. “At present, there are no issues at the site, and there is no need to panic. The smoke that spread after the fire is expected to clear within half an hour,” an official said.

The incident comes close on the heels of a deadly fire at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Odisha’s Cuttack on Monday that claimed the lives of 10 patients and left several others with critical burn injuries.