MP: At Least 8 Killed After Fire Breaks Out at a Private Hospital in Jabalpur
New Delhi: At least eight people were killed after a massive fire broke out at a private hospital in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur on Monday, August 1, afternoon, the Indian Express has reported.
Among the deceased were four patients, three hospital staffers and one attendant. At the time of filing this report, Jabalpur collector Dr. T. Ilayaraja said a rescue operation was on at the hospital to evacuate patients. He said, at last count, nine people sustained injuries in the blaze.
The fire erupted at New Life Multi-speciality Hospital near Damoh Naka under Jabalpur’s Gohalpur police station area in the afternoon.
A fire officer at Jabalpur, Kushargra Thakur, told Indian Express that they had received a call at around 2:15 pm when four fire engines and around fire personnel rushed to the spot immediately. The closest fire station was located just 500 metres away and was that of ISBT.
#WATCH | Madhya Pradesh: Fire breaks out at Jabalpur Hospital. Further details awaited pic.twitter.com/RdjjqARKIY
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) August 1, 2022
According to Thakur, the fire first started at a generator present beside the hospital due to fluctuations in the voltage. It is first said to have then spread to a pharmacy, run by the hospital management itself, and then engulfed the main entry and exits of the hospital.
"The hospital had gotten a fire safety plan approved, but they had not installed a static installation after which they would be given a fire NOC [no-objection certificate]. Regarding this, a notice was also issued to the hospital recently," alleged Thakur, according to the IE report.
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan expressed grief over the incident and said he was in constant touch with the local administration. He ordered a probe into the incident. He also announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the family members of the deceased, according to news agency ANI.
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