Andheri hospital fire: Staff protests over poor infrastructure

MUMBAI: Staff of ESIC Kamgar hospital where the fire broke on Monday killing eight, including a two month old boy, and 142 still undergoing treatment at various hospital in western suburbs alleged that the crumbling structure and delay in completion of the hospital building the cause for the incident.
On Tuesday the entire hospital staff protested in the premise showing placard and anti-government slogan when the Minister of State (Home) Ranjit Patil gave a visit at the hospital at around 12.45pm. Patil said probe has been initiated to find the lapses that led to the incident.

The incident occurred due to smoke that spread and travelled through the AC ducts to upper floors and wards. "There is no proper fire exit points and the building work is still on which began 10 years ago. No proper audit done so far neither the superior has taken action to repeated complains made by staff about poor hospital infrastructure," said one of the protestors.

Staff nurse, C Rani told TOI: "The medical superintendent and the hospital seniors did not take seriously the complaints that we has made regularly about the crumbling slab and other poor quality infrastructure. Even there are instances when snakes are found in the hospital."