Probe team to submit report soon on Ahmednagar hospital fire incident

NASHIK: Divisional commissioner Radhakrishna Game on Thursday said the team probing the recent fire tragedy at the Ahmednagar civil hospital would submit a report to the state government at the earliest.
A fire broke out in the intensive care unit of the hospital on November 6, killing 11 Covid-19 patients and injuring six.
As part of the inquiry, Game and other members of the panel inspected the ICU on Thursday evening and spoke to hospital staff, including the now-suspended civil surgeon Dr Sunil Pokharna.
Game told TOI that the panel has taken preliminary reports from the public works department, the fire brigade and the Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation about various aspects related to the hospital.
“We had sent a questionnaire to Pokharna, who filled it and returned it. We have sent him a fresh set of questions and are awaiting his response. We will also speak to witnesses,” added Game.
OPD and IPD services at more than 500 private hospitals and nursing homes across Ahmednagar remained shut on Thursday as a mark of protest against the arrests of a doctor and three nurses of the civil hospital.
Acting civil surgeon Dr Bhushan Kumar Ramtakke said emergency cases were being treated by the doctors and nurses at the hospital.