A tragic incident occurred early this morning at the Sialdah ESI Hospital, Kolkata, where a fire broke out in the male surgery department on the first floor around 4 AM. Unfortunately, the smoke caused a cancer patient to suffocate and lose his life.
Witnesses reported that the fire was triggered by a short circuit in the air conditioning unit. In response to the emergency, authorities swiftly relocated 54 patients to the Manicktala ESI Hospital for their safety. Remaining patients in the affected area were moved to other wards, and the situation is now reported to be under control.
The hospital's location facilitated a rapid response from firefighting services, with ten fire engines arriving at the scene. Firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze in under an hour using five of the engines.
As investigations into the incident continue, questions are being raised about the adequacy of the fire safety measures in place at this central government hospital. Authorities are expected to conduct a thorough review to ensure such a tragedy does not happen again.
