Guj: 18 COVID-19 patients killed in hospital fire
Ahmedabad, May 1 : At least 18 coronavirus patients died after a fire broke out at a hospital in Gujarat’s Bharuch in the early hours on Saturday.
This COVID-19 designated hospital is situated on the Bharuch-Jambusar highway, around 190 km from Ahmedabad and is being run by a trust.
According to an hospital source, there were around 50 other patients at the four-storeyed Welfare Hospital when the fire broke out in the COVID-19 ward at 0100 hrs.
They were rescued by locals and firefighters, it said.
As per information at 0630 hrs, the death count in the tragedy stood at 18. Immediately after the fire, police got a confirmation of 12 deaths of patients who died due to the fire and resultant smoke, a senior police officer in Bharuch, Rajendrasinh Chudasama, said.
It is yet to be ascertained that if the remaining six also died in the Welfare Hospital or while being shifted to other hospitals.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condoled the death, tweeting, “Pained by the loss of lives due to a fire at a hospital in Bharuch. Condolences to the bereaved families.”
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has announced a financial assistance of ₹4 lakh each to the families of those killed.
“I express my condolences to the patients, doctors and hospital staff who lost their lives in the fire accident at Bharuch Hospital. The state government will provide assistance of ₹4 lakh to the families of each of the victims of the accident,” tweeted Rupani.
UNI
