Surat hospital blaze leaves 4 patients dead

A fire broke out in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Ayush Hospital on Station Road in Surat, late on Sunday, from where 15 Covid-19 patients had to be shifted to other hospitals. However, four of them, including a woman, died after being shifted.

According to fire department officials, the fire broke out “due to a spark in the air-conditioner in the ICU” on the fifth floor of the facility at Lal Darwaja. Of the 15 patients undergoing treatment there, four were on ventilator.

Chief fire officer Basant Pareek said, “One of our teams rescued the patients, while another team extinguished the fire. Smoke filled the area… The patients were brought down and were shifted to other hospitals by ambulances but some of them died.”

Officials said that of the 15 patients, six were shifted to SMIMER hospital, while seven were shifted to Sanjeevani Hospital and two to SIMS Hospital.

SMC deputy health commissioner Dr Ashish Naik said, “One patient died in SMIMER Hospital, while three others died in private hospitals. All these patients were on ventilator. Among the remaining four patients admitted to SMIMER, three are on BiPAP and one on ventilator.”