Patients Evacuated As Fire Destroys Kashmir’s Only Orthopedic Hospital
Srinagar, March 4: A massive fire on Friday evening completely destroyed Kashmir’s only orthopedic hospital and prompted authorities to evacuate several patients, officials said. J&K Health and Medical Education Department said that they are looking into the reasons that led to this incident despite regular fire safety audits and adequate measures. Officials said the massive fire broke out in the 250 beds Bone and Joint Hospital Barzulla in Srinagar at around 9.30 pm. The fire started from the emergency theatre on the third floor of the old building of the hospital and it spread to the inpatient wards very quickly.
Heavy blasts were heard caused due to the explosion of gas and oxygen cylinders in the hospital premises. Fire and Emergency Services deployed almost their entire fleet to douse the fire. Police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), fire department personnel and local volunteers worked in tandem in shifting the patients out of the hospital amid the raging fire. There was total chaos outside the hospital and some patients were seen sitting on the road. Locals alleged there were not many ambulances available to shift patients to other hospitals. The cause of the fire is not yet known immediately.
“Luckily no casualties has been reported ,” a senior government official said Director, disaster management department, Aamir Ali Director, disaster management department, Aamir Ali said the fire is under control now and all the patients have been safely evacuated. “Preliminary information suggests that all patients have been evacuated and are being shifted to other government health facilities,” a tweet by the Health & Medical Education Department read.
UNI
