BARIPADA: Panic gripped patients at the Mother and Child Hospital (MCH) in Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital here after a fire broke out in the operation theatre on the third floor and spread to Obstetrics and Gynaecology ward on Friday.
However, no casualty or injury was reported due to the mishap.
A short circuit is believed to be the reason behind the fire. The admitted patients along with attendants and staff of the MCH were rescued within moments of the mishap, hospital sources said. The MCH functions out of a seven-storeyed building and caters to the health care needs of mothers and children. The fire originated on the third floor of the hospital.
Attendants and eyewitnesses Susanta Singh, Ranjan Das, Vivekananda Mohanty and Sumati Giri stated that they noticed the fire near the wall which quickly spread to other places leading to smoke in the entire ward. Within seconds, the ward turned dark as the lights went off due to power disruption, they added.
The staff including nurses, doctors and security guards helped patients evacuate from the ward while the immobile patients were led out to other wards with their babies.
Nearly 50 to 60 patients and babies were shifted from the ward following the mishap, sources informed. SP B Gangadhar, who rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation, stated that the electric short-circuit was the cause of the mishap. Police and fire personnel, staff of PRM MCH and security guards ensured the safe evacuation of patients from the affected ward, he added.
“It took about 50 minutes to douse the flame in the ward. The fire is believed to have emanated from the wiring on the wall,” the SP said. Fire personnel and police have started an inquiry into the matter as the situation is under control, he added.
However, the in-charge CDMO Dr GK Mohanty said the fire broke out from a machine in the operation theatre on the third floor and the flame reached the wards.