At least seven people, including a child, died in a massive fire at a private hospital in Tamil Nadu's Dindigul city. Soon after receiving information about the fire incident, police personnel and fire brigade rushed to the spot to bring the flame under control.
There are more than a hundred patients trapped inside, and efforts are being made to evacuate them. This hospital has four floors. Prelimiary reports suggest that more than 50 ambulances, including private ambulances, have been called to shift the patients to other hospitals.
According to reports, the fire broke out at City Hospital on Trichy Road. All the victims were found unconscious in a lift, the fire officials said and added that they were rushed to a hospital where they were declared dead by doctors.
The victims suffocated to death and the Fire and Rescue Services personnel found them inside the lift after evacuating about 30 in-patients of the hospital. The evacuated persons have been admitted in the district GH, the officials added.
The fire was suspected to have been caused by an electrical short circuit, police said citing initial probe. TV visuals showed fire and smoke billowing from the hospital building, with fire tenders pressed into service to put down the flames.
