Over 89 killed in AMRI hospital fire, 6 board members arrested
Six persons, including industrialist SK Todi of the AMRI group were arrested and the licence of the hospital where 84 persons suffocated to death after a fire today, was cancelled
A devastating fire broke out in the early hours at the basement of the multi-storeyed private hospital, AMRI speciality hospital in Kolkata.
At least 73 people - most of them patients - have died in this morning's huge fire at AMRI hospital in Kolkata. There were 160 people inside the hospital in Dhakuria, south Kolkata, when the fire began.
Families of the victims and the government accuse the privately-owned and posh hospital of ignoring basic fire safety laws - a claim refuted by hospital staff. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said this morning's tragedy was "an unforgivable crime" and vowed "the harshest punishment possible" for those found responsible. The license of the hospital has been cancelled. A First Information Report or FIR has also been filed, which launches a criminal case.
Dead bodies are being moved to the SSKM Hospital; families have been asked to identify their relatives before post-mortems are conducted. The fire began in the basement, where highly inflammable material was allegedly stored. Eyewitnesses say they first spotted and reported smoke streaming from the hospital around 3 am, but the first fire engine arrived two hours later. Additional Director General Fire Services D Biswas, however, denied any delay. He said that the fire brigade was informed at 4.10 am and it responded immediately.
The road leading to the hospital is narrow and congested. Inside the hospital, there was chaos - the building was engulfed in smoke, many patients suffocated. "Every door is locked, every window is locked," said a resident who tried to help. "We cannot bring any patient outside," he said, his anger visible. Through the morning, firemen were seen using ropes and ladders to enter the different floors of the hospital; some windows had to be smashed.
News agency IANS quoted an unnamed hospital spokesperson who reportedly said, "At the time of the fire, there were 160 patients, including around 40-50 in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit)." A man whose wife, Munmun, died in the fire says that in the orthopedic ward where she suffocated, most patients were injured and could not move to safety.
Fire department officials like Mr Biswas blame the hospital for turning into a death trap, alleging that the hospital did not have adequate fire-fighting facilities. AMRI staff denies this. "All statutory safety and fire licences are in place," said S Upadhay, senior vice-president of the hospital.
Relatives of patients vandalized the reception of the hospital this morning, upset that not enough information was being shared by staff.
AMRI hospital was set up in 1996, and is co-owned by the Emami & Shrachi Groups. (With agency inputs)
HELPLINE NUMBERS: 9932215296, 9831225067
HELPLINE NUMBERS: 9932215296, 9831225067
Source: NDTV, The Hindu, Hindustan Times
Patient safety is not a concern for hospitals. Regency Hospital is a well-known hospital in Kanpur, UP and the management claims to give quality treatment to the patients. Here are two incidents, you judge for yourself:
ReplyDeleteI accompanied a patient for X-ray, the patient is 70 year old lady, not very firm, needs help walking and climbing. There were two technicians who took x-ray and both of them left the patient on X-ray table and went to another room to check if the x-ray they have just taken is good. The patient was trying to get down herself and was about to fall from the table when I noticed from outside the room and ran to catch her from falling but it did bruise her arm.
The X-ray technicians had to repeat the x-ray on the same patient and this time I told the technicians but this time they did not close the tray properly and it was jetting out and the patient got hit by it and bled. A diabetic patient getting wounded at x-ray table? Both these incidents should have been reported but no one reported them.
Third incident happened with me, also at Regency Hospital, patient was being transported and the stretcher hit me. The patient transportation staff did not even have the courtesy to stop and say sorry, are you OK.
This is just an example of patient safety and caring attitude. I am told the said hospital is trying to get NABH certification. Is anyone listening, UP Government, Chief Minister, Health Minister, health secretary NABH people. If you are listening then do some