BHOPAL: As many as 80 patients, including 62 persons infected with COVID-19, were rescued from a private hospital in Ujjain that caught fire on Sunday afternoon.
The fire which was possibly triggered by an electric short circuit spread fast to the entire first and second floors of the Patidar Hospital in the Freeganj area of the district.
According to additional SP, Ujjain, Amrendra Singh, the fire spread to the two floors which were housing the COVID-19 ICU and the isolation wards. "Fire brigade teams and police personnel swung into action in a short time and all the 80 patients, including 62 COVID-19 patients and around 18 other patients were rescued safely out of the hospital. The fire too was doused in a short time," Singh told The New Indian Express.
The rescued patients have been shifted either to the Guru Nanak Hospital or to government hospitals, official sources said.
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While no casualty has been reported in the incident, some patients, including an elderly woman have reportedly sustained burn injuries.
However, as per unconfirmed reports, some patients who possibly jumped out of the hospital to save their lives could have suffered major injuries.
According to Ujjain district chief medical and health officer (CMHO) Dr Mahavir Khandelwal, four COVID-19 patients rescued from the fire sustained burn injuries. Two women aged between 75 and 85 years are stated to be critical and have been rushed to neighbouring Indore.
The condition of the remaining two, hospitalised at Guru Nanak Hospital in Ujjain, is out of danger.