Union Minister Rajnath Singh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis too condoled the deaths on social media.
Thirteen coronavirus patients who were in the ICU have died in a fire at a hospital in Maharashtra`s Virar, about 70 km from state capital Mumbai.
The fire broke out at around 3 AM in the ICU on the second floor of the four-storeyed Vijay Vallabh Hospital, an official said. "Around 90 patients were admitted to the hospital at the time of the incident," Dilip Shah, CEO, Vijay Vallabh Hospital, told reporters this morning.
The fire at a COVID-19 hospital in Virar is tragic. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 23, 2021
PM @narendramodi has approved an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the hospital fire in Virar, Maharashtra. Rs. 50,000 would be given to those seriously injured.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 23, 2021
In a statement, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray`s office said he "has expressed sorrow" over the deaths. "He has directed that other patients undergoing treatment should not be harmed and should be relocated immediately. After learning about the fire, the Chief Minister himself has spoken to the concerned officials and asked them to, first of all, give priority to extinguishing the fire completely and ensure that treatment on other patients continues," the official statement read.
Recalling the series of events, Avinash Patil, an eyewitness, had earlier told reporters, "I got a call at around 3 is from a friend whose mother-in-law was admitted to the hospital. As I reached the hospital, I saw fire engines outside. The ICU on the second floor was engulfed in smoke. Only two nurses were there, and I couldn`t see a doctor. It took firefighters about half an hour to put out the flames. We could see eight-ten bodies there."
One more devastating incident.
— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) April 23, 2021
Deeply pained to know about loss of lives in Virar Covid Hospital ICU fire.
My deepest condolences to bereaved families.
Wishing speedy recovery to injured #COVID19 patients.
We demand an in-depth inquiry & strong action against those responsible.
Rejecting claims that there were no doctors at the hospital last night, Dilip Shah said, "Doctors were present". He also stressed that the hospital is following all fire safety norms.
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